Members of Hickey family in court 23 May, hope to see you there

Dear friends,
Please read the information underneath. Members of the Hickey family have been charged and will be appearing in court on May the 23rd. Since the killing of TJ, his extended family, as it happened with other families of Aboriginal people who Died In Custody, has bee subject to all types of harassment. This has been clearly expressed with the incredible nsw police action at Riverstone on September last year. So we have to stand up, as the Hickey family has been doing for many years, against racism, persecution and harassment of the TJ family. I hope I see you there.Also distribute it to your networks. If you need more information, please contact me at 0403037376.

Raul Bassi

SPEAK OUT IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE HICKEY FAMILY

After raiding her home in Western Sydney under the bogus pretext that the music was too loud police crushed Tisha, tore off her belly button ring, lifted up her skirt and inappropriately touched her and left her with bruises on her stomach, arms and legs. Moreover, after all this they arrested Tisha and five of her close relatives as well as a family friend and slapped them all with serious but utterly false riot charges.

The real reason for the police raid is that Tisha and her family is Aboriginal and poor. Australian police are often hostile to the poor and are notorious for downright racist brutality towards Aboriginal people. Furthermore, NSW police have a special hatred for Tisha’s family. You see, they are Hickeys: close relatives of TJ Hickey the 17 year-old boy who was killed by racist police in February 2004 after police chased him through the streets of Redfern when he was riding his bicycle. As a result of their defiant refusal to abandon the quest for justice for their beloved TJ, the Hickeys, from Redfern to Riverstone, have faced police harassment over the last seven years.

However, this tyranny is about to be challenged. When Tisha and the other adults who were arrested at her party go to court for the start of their trial her family’s supporters, trade unionists and all who hate injustice are going to be rallying outside the courthouse to demand the dropping of all charges against those arrested. We will also make clear our opposition to police violence – violence that is especially aimed against Aboriginal people but which also targets other non-white communities, anti-racist activists, the poor and striking workers manning picket lines.

Drop all Charges Against
Those Arrested at Tisha’s 21st

Stop Persecuting the Aboriginal Hickey Family!

Down with Racist Police Attacks!

Rally 9am, Monday, May 23

Outside Parramatta Court (Corner George and Marsden Streets)

For updates go to Sydney Indymedia (http://indymedia.org.au/sydney) and look for postings about this campaign announced by United Front or call Raul Bassi at 0403037376