urg:::Beverley police

[Jim Green]

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	, Ausinuke <ausinuke@egroups.com>
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Police face charges over mine protest
By Environment Reporter CATHERINE HOCKLEY
The Advertiser
04jun02
TWO police officers who used "excessive force" during a violent clash with
anti-uranium protesters will be charged.
The Police Complaints Authority has recommended the two unidentified
officers face disciplinary charges for breaching police regulations at
Beverley uranium mine more than two years ago.
In a scathing report, the PCA's Anthony Wainwright found one officer used
"excessive force=A0.=A0.=A0. by baton striking", while the other applied capsicum
spray to a protester "while he was injured on the ground and posing no
threat".
The report also said Superintendent Kym Boxall, who was the police forward
commander of the operation, was "negligent" in detaining protesters in a
shipping container and allowing welding of the container while they were
inside.
Police arrested 31 protesters at the May 9, 2000, incident at the remote
mine, more than 540km north of Adelaide.
Complaints by the protesters over the conduct of the police, who were
brought in from Port Augusta and Whyalla, prompted the investigation.
The report also found:
ONE officer failed to discharge his duty of care to arrested protesters in =
a
cage car.
ANOTHER officer "unnecessarily exposed protesters to risk of serious injury=
"
by driving into them.
TWO officers "breached discipline" by unnecessarily using capsicum spray on
protesters.
The arrest of Channel 7 cameraman Jamie Holland, who was filming the
protest, was judged as "unlawful".
Australian Conservation Foundation nuclear campaigner David Noonan, speakin=
g
on behalf of protesters, was yesterday critical that only two officers were
charged over the incident.
"The other officers receive `managerial guidance' and refresher courses in
the use of capsicum spray," he said.
"Police must be forced to account for their actions."
Mr Noonan called for "the right of protest in a democracy to be respected".
Police Commissioner Mal Hyde, in a statement last night, said the report's
recommendations would be acted on.
"The nature of the protest, the number of protesters involved and the
remoteness of the mine posed unique policing challenges for SAPOL," he said=
.
Police Minister Pat Conlon said he did not believe the report showed "any
endemic problems with police" in South Australia.
"The report itself does raise some fairly serious concerns," he said.
"I am confident many of the matters raised have been addressed by the Polic=
e
Commissioner."
Meanwhile, a Melbourne-based lawyer yesterday confirmed he was acting for u=
p
to 15 protesters who were planning civil action against the State Governmen=
t
and police.