A prominent member of Sydney’s Aboriginal community has called for a year of “civil unrest” as indigenous families and activists demand answers over the April shooting of two Aboriginal teenagers in Kings Cross.
Children played at a small rally outside Kings Cross police station on Saturday, as Lyall Munro urged Aboriginal people to consider taking out apprehended violence orders against NSW police officers to avoid harassment.
“Take AVOs out against your local police,” he said to the crowd of around 70 people.
Kings Cross crime manager Inspector Damian Goodfellow said extra officers on duty on Saturday were not needed at the peaceful rally outside the station but would not comment on the content of speeches.
The protesters later moved onto the road near the intersection of Darlinghurst and Bayswater Roads, chanting “Too many coppers, not enough justice”.
It was on this corner that 24-year-old Matthew Dalton and five teenagers drove a stolen car onto the footpath in an attempt to evade police last month.
The vehicle hit two pedestrians before officers opened fire, hitting the car’s 14-year-old driver and a 17-year-old passenger.
Mr Munro told AAP the protest was a show of continued frustration at police.
“We should be calling for civil unrest in our everyday association with police,” he told AAP.
“Aboriginal organisations that have an association with police should take a step back for 12 months under a moratorium that would allow the state, if they’re concerned, to establish the appropriate forums right throughout the state where we can debate the issue of Aborigine-police relations.”
He said the family of the injured 14-year-old driver’s family were still waiting for an independent inquiry into the events of April 21.
“They are concerned and very upset and obviously traumatised by what has gone on,” he said.
Gail Hickey, mother of Thomas Hickey, was among the crowds on Saturday.
“I’ve come to give my support to the families for the rally over what the Kings Cross police have done to the young boys,” she told AAP.
“I’ve lost my son over cops too.”
The teenager known as TJ died in 2004 after he came off his bicycle and was impaled on a fence in Waterloo.
His family says police were responsible for his death.
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