Month: January 2012

Canberra: banner drop demands sovereignty

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Indymedia: A group of Canberra anarchists dropped 3 banners around the Civic in the nation’s capital, as an autonomous action in solidarity with Aboriginal Tent Embassy’s 40 years of struggle.

One banner was hung on the pedestrian bridge on Alinga St reading ‘(AUSTRALIA – crossed out) INVASION DAY. SOVEREIGNTY NEVER CEDED”. Another two were hung from a large empty building on London CCt directly opposite the Department of Public Prosecutions and an Australian Federal Police station which read “224 YEARS OF OCCUPATION, 224 YEARS OF RESISTANCE” and “STOLEN LAND”.

This small action follows on the heels of worldwide publicity of tent embassy protests, after Aboriginal activists frightened the police and security teams of the nations two major political party leaders into a humiliating ‘escape’ from an Australia Day function beside the aptly named ‘Pork Barrel Cafe’ Continue reading →

Rockhampton: politicians’ home and office ramraided

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January 25: A 62-year-old man was charged with three counts of willful damage for allegedly driving his car into the house and office of Member for Rockhampton Robert Schwarten and Federal Member for Capricornia Kirsten Livermore.

Police say Brian John Hellier rammed Mr Schwarten’s home  in his car about 6pm on January 24, causing significant damage to the garage roller door and the politician’s Lexus parked inside. Continue reading →

Indonesia: Demonstrators set fire to Bima Regent’s office; Regent revokes contested mining permit

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A more detailed report of these events can be read on Hidup Biasa (translated from Barawera)

Addition: After setting fire to the office, thousands to people went to the Bima Prison. 53 people were released after the crowd threatened to burn the prison if those held since the events on December 24 were not released. Prison officers met their request. The police are reported to be looking for the ‘escapees’.  (via Negasi-negasi)

January 28: Indonesian local government officials revoked the mining permit of Australian company Arc Exploration, who were planning to build a gold mine in Bima. In December between two and eight people were killed by policeduring a port blockade against the proposed mine.

A group of residents from Lambu, Sape and Langgudu districts storm the Bima Regency office compound.

On Thursday January 26, demonstrators stormed the Bima Regency office compound before burning the office and several other buildings in the compound in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara. Their anger was driven by the local administration failing to permanently revoke the mining permit of PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara (Arc Exploration).

On Saturday, following this demonstration, Regent Ferry Zulkarnain revoked the mining permit for “security reasons.”

Protesters in Makassar burned tires on Friday during a demonstration in solidarity with the Bima protesters.

Canberra: Invasion Day

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January 26: Protesters who had gathered in Canberra for the 40th anniversary of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy surrounded a restaurant where Prime Minister Julia Gillard and opposition leader Tony Abbott were, causing Gillard and Abbott to be bundled out under police guard.

January 27: Aboriginal protesters burn the Australian flag outside parliament.

On the way the demonstrators blocked one of the city’s main thoroughfares.

Despite a heavy police presence, including a number of police dogs, authorities were unable to hold an initial cordon at the edge of Parliament’s forecourt and were forced to retreat in the face of overwhelming numbers.

Prison riot: Fulham, Victoria

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January 19: At around 4pm around 30 prisoners in Fulham Prison, near Sale in Gippsland, refused to return to their cells.  Up to a dozen ran at fencing and tried to scale it as tensions spilled over on several fronts. Inmates, armed with gym equipment and gardening tools, began destroying property and starting fires.

Eleven people took to the roof. Police used capsicum spray and turned on rooftop sprinklers in an attempt to get people down, but six remained at midnight, with the rest of the prison on lockdown. They were forced down at around 3am when authorities used tear gas against them. The 11 men, aged 19-23, have been transferred to Port Phillip and Barwon prisons and could face charges as police continue to investigate the riot. Continue reading →