14 arrested in Redfern drug raids Source: AAP|Published: Friday August 11, 9:35 AM The Aboriginal community would ignore negotiations for peaceful protests during the Olympics and would set up tent embassies in every park in Sydney following a major police drugs raid in Redfern this morning, an Aboriginal leader said. Fourteen people were arrested during a major drugs operation in Redfern known as The Block by more than 120 police at dawn. In excess of 55 charges have been laid. Former protest co-ordinator for the metropolitan local Aboriginal land council, Mr Lyall Munroe, said the police raids have destroyed current negotiations with police for a peaceful demonstration by indigenous people during the Olympics. Mr Munroe said the raids were staged by police as a security training run for the Olympics and an attempt to hide the squalour in which Aboriginal people live in Australia from international media and visitors. For some months Aboriginal community leaders have been seeking permission with Olympic security commanders to stage a demonstration at the Homebush Olympic park site, but as a consequence of today's actions Aboriginal people from around Australia would rally in Sydney and march on the games regardless, he said. He also threatened to establish Aboriginal tent embassies in every park in Sydney and also to march on police headquarters. Police raided at least five homes in their search for heroin. Several men, at least one woman, and a teenage boy were arrested. At least three arrests took place on Eveleigh Street in front of both supportive and protesting Aboriginal bystanders. The raid follows similar police drug swoops this month on Punchbowl and Kings Cross. Redfern Superintendent Peter Parsons said officers had raided five homes on four streets during the raids targeting heroin. He denied that the operation was part of a co-ordinated campaign by police to rid the city of crime to impress overseas tourists. The operation, codenamed Recco, was the culmination of two months surveillance targeting alleged supply of heroin and reducing violent street crime in the suburb, he said. "I'd like to think the results of today will have a major impact on heroin distribution in this community and Redfern generally," Supt Parsons said. Police this morning continued to surround Caroline Lane, Eveleigh, Louis and Hudson streets, and said they expected to make more arrests throughout the day. Charges were expected to be laid later today against those already arrested. -- ********************************** 'Click' to protect the rainforest: Make the Rainforest Site your homepage! http://www.therainforestsite.com/ ********************************** ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
