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Police praise over G20 riot<\/a>
\nKelvin Healey
\nSunday Herald Sun<\/em>
\nJuly 1, 2007<\/p>\nTHE police response to Melbourne’s violent G20 riot<\/a> was “effective”, but frontline officers needed better protection, an independent audit<\/a> has found. The report, completed by a senior Scottish police officer who monitored Victoria Police’s planning and response to demonstrations outside the November summit, also suggested:<\/p>\n
THE crack Force<\/a> Response<\/a> Unit<\/a> might not have enough manpower and the unit should be equipped with new purpose-built personnel vehicles.
\nINCREASING the city’s closed-circuit TV camera network<\/a> [beyond its current level of approximately 40,000 units] to help police with future riots.
\nFURTHER development of barriers to block aggressive protesters.<\/p>\nProtests outside the Grand Hyatt erupted in violence<\/strong> on November 18, when a group of hardcore anarchists<\/a><\/strong>, known as the Arterial Bloc<\/a>, led an assault<\/strong>. The thugs<\/a><\/strong> wore jumpsuits and used bandanas across their faces to disguise their identities<\/a> as they kicked<\/strong>, bit<\/strong> and spat<\/strong> on police, hurting 10 officers. They smashed<\/strong> a police van and hurled<\/strong> metal stakes, flares, horse manure, fake blood and urine-filled balloons<\/a>.<\/p>\n
In the aftermath, police were accused of taking a “softly, softly”<\/a> approach to the demonstrators. But the official audit, by Scotland’s Dumfries and Galloway Chief Constable Patrick Shearer<\/a><\/em>, backed the police action. “Overall, the policing response to the G20 was very effective,” Mr Shearer’s report said. “There were learning points arising out of the operation . . . but Victoria Police must be commended for their measured and proportionate action<\/a> to this challenging event.”<\/p>\n
Mr Shearer played a key role in security for the 2005 Edinburgh G8 summit.<\/p>\n
His report praised frontline officers for their restraint. “The members were very effective and measured in their response . . . doing well not to respond to the goading acts of the extreme protesters,” he said in the report.<\/p>\n
But the report said the officers — many equipped with a baton, goggles and gloves — could have had better safety gear. “The protective clothing provided to members . . . was limited,” it said. “Additionally, they would have benefited from being deployed (or) supported with purpose built personnel carriers which are suitably protected with grids that allow a 25-man unit to be transported in three vehicles and deployed quickly and effectively.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
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Yes; the police officer hand-picked by Victoria Police<\/a> to provide expert advice on containing the G20 protest (based on his previous role as “…the Mutual Aid<\/a> Co-ordinator for the G8 Summit<\/a>” in Gleneagles<\/a> in 2005!), has concluded that, on balance, his employer made the right decisions. Shearer’s suggestions regarding the need for more police with more and better equipment also find an echo in the initial report<\/a> by Australia’s best union, although — strangely — this report makes no specific reference to metal stakes, flares, horse manure, fake blood and urine-filled balloons raining down on police lines, merely registering concern “that our members were able to be threatened with a range of missiles, including water-filled barriers that had apparently been emptied of water by protesters”. <\/p>\n
However, in news just to hand, another report — prepared by English, German and Swedish radicals at the request of the shadowy group of between 20 and 40 anarchists from Aotearoa believed<\/a> by some local revolutionaries<\/a> to have secretly masterminded the ultraviolence — has recommended:<\/p>\n
THE Clandestine Insurgent Rebel Clown Army<\/a><\/strong> might not have enough grrlpower and the unit should be equipped with new purpose-built personnel vehicles; preferably unicycles<\/a>.<\/p>\n
INCREASING the city’s network of street artists to help police envision what a real riot<\/a> looks like.<\/p>\n
FURTHER development of mental barriers to, like, magically block aggressive police from, like, being all heavy<\/em>.<\/ul>\n
Unfortunately, an independent audit based on the views of 6,720,000 children living in extreme poverty had to be cancelled, following the terribly upsetting but belated discovery that they were all, in fact, dead.<\/p>\n
May we all continue<\/a> to have enough strength to bear the misfortunes of others.<\/p>\n