Police remove a protester from City Square. Picture: Andrew Brownbill
A BID to refer the actions of police against Occupy Melbourne
protesters to the state’s anti-corruption body has failed in the city
council.
Greens councillor Rohan Leppert told a council meeting tonight that
protesters in the City Square had been dragged out by their hair and
there was “blood on the streets” during the confrontation in October
2011.“Was the action used by police appropriate,” he said.
Cr Leppert had moved a motion to instruct the council CEO to refer the issue to the new Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, but he was voted down.
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, who had asked the police to intervene, said it was inappropriate for the council to take it to IBAC when the matter had already been dealt with by the former Office of Police Integrity and the police ethical standards department.
“You can’t keep having bites of the cherry,” he said.
A number of Occupy Melbourne protesters attending the council meeting caused a scene when Cr Leppert’s motion was defeated.
Cr Ken Ong told one of them that the council would not bow to intimidation.
However, councillors did pass a separate motion to issue a statement on the council’s website detailing the chronology of all City of Melbourne actions and decisions made relating to the eviction of the protesters.
It will be issued after the Federal Court hands down a judgement on a related Occupy Melbourne matter.
john.masanauskas@news.com.au
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