Police have defended their actions during an early-morning raid at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra.More than 40 police, some with riot gear, surrounded a burnt-out shipping container while contractors worked to remove it.
The structure was damaged during a suspected arson attack last month. Federal authorities had declared it a safety hazard.
ACT police operations commander Mandy Newton says the operation had been in planning for about a fortnight and was approved earlier this week.
"You're never sure whether or not you'll have 10 people, 20 people, 50 people or 100 people there at the time," Ms Newton said.
"We have to maintain safety for our police officers in having adequate police available if things escalate and there is some level of a breach of the peace taking place."
By We're Not Stupid 16 July 03
HONEST: Last report on the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on SBS Television showed no more than four people if that and one bloke who decided to sleep on the roof in a sleeping bag so he could prevent the Embassy being removed. AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR. When are police and the government going to stop defending violence and terrorism with lies?
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Demounting Auntie Isabel Coe
The information demountable and Auntie Isabel Coe's demountable were set alight at 3am last Saturday morning. The info demountable was completely destroyed- 31 years of photos and info on the grassroots Indigenous rights movement destroyed! Wilson Tukey (FUCKER)has wanted any excuse to get rid of the embassy for ages. This week he has been using the excuse that the burnt out shell is a danger to the community therefore the embassy must be removed.
