Redfern lock-down

I had a rather different experience from Trevor Davies (reported in Feb SSH) on 21 January, during the Redfern lock-down. I was settling down to go to sleep at approximately 10.30pm when this very loud noise started getting closer and then over head. A very large helicopter with a search-light was honing in on Eveleigh Street, again ...After 45 minutes of this noise I rang the police and was told that a gun had been fired and that the Block was shut down. They had no idea how much longer this would go on. Finally, at 11.30pm my husband and I got dressed and walked up to Abercrombie Street to see if we could help any of the families in the area locked down. I counted 25 vehicles, and over 50 police officers. Each one wore a bullet-proof vest. An ambulance was on the corner of Abercrombie and Hudson Street. In each small lane and street officers were crouched behind vehicles. Lawson Street was blocked off at Redfern Station. The Station was closed for three hours. All the police were looking in towards Eveleigh Street. Taxis were taking people home on Abercrombie Street. Some Aboriginal families were able to get through the blockade to go home and try to sleep. Others called taxis and went and stayed with friends or families. There were a number of other concerned residents from as far as the Sydney University who had been woken up by the noise of the helicopter and had decided to come and see what was happening. The next day a small report in the newspapers and on radio and television – What had happened?

We are told someone had fired a shot. Was it the police or was it an Aboriginal bloke who fired first? No one can say... Two men, one with a wound in his leg, managed to disappear from 25 police vehicles and 50 police officers, and a very expensive helicopter funded by you and me. I suspect that the police consisted of the tactical response team plus several off-duty police, detectives and uniformed police. WHAT A JOKE! And these police are supposed to be called in when there is a terrorist incident?!

Sally Quilter Redfern

Source: South Sydney Herald March 2007