Mexican authorities still seek Victorian anarchist

The Age, December 31: The parents of a Victorian woman wanted for questioning by Mexican counter-terrorism investigators insist their daughter is a ”caring and gentle person” who had no direct involvement with anarchist bombings.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed Mexican authorities are still seeking Felicity Ryder, a Melbourne University graduate and political activist who has been linked to an anarchist activist allegedly responsible for explosions in Mexico City six months ago.

Ms Ryder came to Mexican police attention in late June 2012 after her passport was found in the backpack of alleged bomber Mario Antonio Lopez Hernandez, who was arrested after being wounded by the accidental explosion of an improvised explosive device.

Documents released to Fairfax Media under Freedom of Information legislation show that Ms Ryder did not report her passport lost or stolen and has not contacted the Australian Embassy in Mexico City to seek consular assistance.

She is wanted for questioning by investigators from the Mexican Attorney-General’s Department who have undertaken to notify Australian authorities in the event of her arrest.

Fairfax revealed in November that Ms Ryder was the subject of a probe by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that included inquiries in her home town of Rutherglen. Continue reading “Mexican authorities still seek Victorian anarchist”

Sydney: police car attacked as riot squad called into to break up party

31 December: A birthday party organised by two Sydney brothers turned ugly after its location was posted on Facebook and hundreds of drunken teenagers crashed it, police said.

The Public Order and Riot Squad had to be called to the 18th birthday party at Winston Hills on Saturday night after more than 300 teenagers arrived.

Five people were arrested after some of the mob attacked a policeman and damaged the officer’s vehicle. Continue reading “Sydney: police car attacked as riot squad called into to break up party”

NZ: woman tries to taser cop

26 December: A woman used a brick as weapon and then tried to shoot a police officer with his own Taser, when two police came under attack at a party in Dargaville on Christmas day.

One officer was knocked unconscious, while the other tried to protect him but was kicked in the head after party-goers became aggressive.

“One woman used a brick as weapon and then tried to shoot the officer with his own taser. When it failed to fire she smashed it.”

Continue reading “NZ: woman tries to taser cop”

Mutitjulu: Police attacked

27 December: Northern Territory Police were attacked with rocks and iron bars during a riot at a remote Aboriginal community in central Australia on Boxing Day.

Six people have been arrested and police say they expect more will be charged after fighting broke out at Mutitjulu, near Uluru, about 360 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs.

Southern Watch Commander Siri Tennosaar says a group of more than 40 people threw rocks, bottles and iron bars at local police when they were called to deal with the incident. The windscreen of a police vehicle was smashed with a rock and further damaged when it was struck with an iron bar.

She says police were forced to withdraw at first and call for help. Continue reading “Mutitjulu: Police attacked”

Sydney: Solidarity with Villa Amalias

Indymedia: On Thursday the 20th of December in Athens Greece, Villa Amalias squat was raided by riot police and eight comrades inside were arrested. All have been charged with various felonies and misdemeanours and are being held at Athens police HQ till they will be brought again before a judge on the 24th of December.

Following the eviction, the Greek minister of public order stated that Villa was an “epicentre for lawlessness”. For the past 23 years Villa Amalias has been an open political, cultural and social space hosting regular concerts, theatre, dance and language classes, film screenings, free markets and collective kitchens. The squat was a self organised initiative of the anarchist and anti authoritarian movement in Athens and those associated with the squat have the contributed to the struggles of workers, immigrants and the anti racist/anti fascist struggle. Continue reading “Sydney: Solidarity with Villa Amalias”

Sydney: Anarchists mourn fallen officer

“The Australian people made heroes of none, and raised no idols, except perhaps Ned Kelly, an outlaw.. “
Brian Fitzpatrick

no tears for dead cops banner drop

Indymedia: On December 6 police were called to a property in Oakville Sydney over a neighbourhood dispute about a bird aviary.
The police and media claim that 19 year old Mitch and 45 year old Fiona Barbiari barricaded themselves inside their home when officers arrived and that Mitch kept police at bay with a volley of arrows throughout a two hour siege. Shortly after the detective inspector Bryson Anderson breached the Barbieri’s back patio he was stabbed and would latter die of his wounds. Mitch and Fiona have both been charged with his murder.

What followed was a week of corporate media hagiographies, painting Bryson as a fallen hero and the NSW Police as brave protectors of the ‘community’ while savagely vilifying the accused. No cop is innocent of the brutality ingrained in routine police work, nor of the dehumanising torture of incarceration. As a high ranking officer with 26 years in the force Bryson has plenty of blood on his hands.

In the early morning of the 12th of December, we dropped three banners from the Hathem st bridge over Parramatta rd in Petersham. We chose this day to time with Bryson’s open funeral, which the police and media had encouraged the general public to attend. This small action was made to counter the corporate media whitewashing of police violence and murders, with claims that ‘the whole state is in mourning’. We wished to make clear our rejection of police protection and our solidarity with the accused.
The banners read:

FREE MITCH AND FIONA BARBIERI

FROM JOSEPH LUKER TO BRYSON ANDERSON NO TEARS FOR DEAD COPS!

FUCK THE POLICE

Joseph Luker, a member of the Sydney foot police was the very first cop to be killed on this territory in 1803. From the very first police units established by the British invasion force, to the militarised NSW police force, cops have played a central role in the displacement and imprisonment of the aboriginal population, the regulation and control of convicts, the poor and immigrants for the benefit of ruling elites. The social peace that police uphold allows hunger while surplus food is discarded from supermarkets and homelessness while buildings sit empty for decades. This social peace is a lie, only maintained by a constant war against the marginalised and under privileged. The daily violence cops meet out to us using their batons, fists, boots, OC spray, tazers, handcuffs and glocks is no accident. They have chosen their side in this war, and so have we. We are against any peace under capitalism and encourage looting, squatting and confrontations with police to reclaim communal territory from capital.

UNTIL THERE ARE NO POLICE PATROLLING OUR STREETS, ARRESTING OUR LOVED ONES AND HASSLING US AT EVERY TURN, THE POLICE WILL BE ATTACKED

ALL OUR HEROES KILLED COPS

Nauru: detainess in court over riot

10 December: Sixteen asylum seekers on Nauru appeared at the island’s tiny local court on Monday, accused of causing $24,000 in damage at a riot at the processing centre in September.

Their charges include riot, rioting injuring buildings and wilful damage. Additional charges of common assault were levelled against four men, Nauru government spokesman Rod Henshaw said.

All are being tried under Nauruan law, and the charges carry possible jail terms of up to seven years. Two of the group have voluntarily returned to Iran since the incident.

The group’s last appearance on November 18 was an emotional one, with asylum seekers at first refusing to participate over concerns they would not get a fair trial. Then, the men had refused to leave their bus outside Nauru’s tiny courthouse for two hours after being told they would be represented by a man they had not met, the island’s public defender. Continue reading “Nauru: detainess in court over riot”