Rally remembers TJ Hickey

A minute’s silence was observed at the spot where Hickey died, on the corner of George and Phillip Streets, at approximately 11.00am. Many speakers addressed the crowd with passion on a variety of issues affecting Indigenous Australians, including recent deaths in custody such as that of Mulrunji Doomadgee on Palm Island, and in relation to policing and social justice.

The rally then proceeded to the old police station in Waterloo and another minute’s silence was observed. It then moved on to the new Redfern police station at the TNT building. Prominent activist John Pilger took the microphone and stressed that white Australia’s recognition of Indigenous ownership of Australian land is a crucial step towards reconciliation. Other groups represented at the rally included Socialist Alliance, Green Left Weekly and the Australian Spartacists.

The rally concluded with a friendly barbecue at the Block on Eveleigh Street.
 

The Aboriginal flag evolves

The main flags carried at the rally to remember TJ Hickey’s death had an artistic strip of green across the bottom. This is to express the colour of the land of the Indigenous people who live on the coastal strip of their country - as against the red ochre of the centre.

Source: South Sydney Herald March 2007