pentridge prison

THE DAY AUSTRALIA STOOD STILL - The Hanging of Ronald Ryan


* The clock strikes 8:00 AM.
* It is a hot Friday morning.
* The 3rd day of February.
* In the year - Nineteen Hundred and Sixty Seven.
* The State of Victoria hangs Ronald Joseph Ryan inside 'D' Division at Pentridge Prison.
* Australia falls silent ...
* Birds startled by the loud crash of the trap door suddenly fly off the roof of the prison cellblock.
* At the same time - a gust of wind from nowhere - slams shut the prison church doors with a loud crash.
* A crowd of 3,000 protesters outside Pentridge Prison - pause for a three minute silence.