Photographs of yesterday's silent march to highlight Aboriginal deaths in custody. Around 70 people gathered at Sydney Town Hall and marched down George Street through the CBD, holding photographs of some of the Aboriginal people who have died in custody. The march ended at the Correctional Services offices near Central Station, where speeches were made and a candlelight vigil was held.
The family of Tane Chatfield were in Sydney for the event. Mother, Nioka and father, Colin, spoke powerfully of their son who died mysteriously in prison in Tamworth in 2017.
Below, Nioka Chatfield writes about the struggle of her family:
”On the 20th September 2017 Our lives were changed forever. Our son Tane had been on remand for two years in Tamworth prison for a crime we believe he did not commit. He was coming near to the end of his trial and had done a fantastic job giving evidence to clear his name. Tane was 22 yrs old with 1 son. We were so excited, thinking he would be home soon. Suddenly we were told by NSW Corrective Service Officers that Tane was in Tamworth hospital and we could have an emergency visit.
When we got there 2hrs later (as we live 2hrs away from Tamworth) we found our beautiful son Tane connected to a life support machine. He was lying there fully naked, only a pair of hospital socks on. It had taken five hours after Tane was hospitalised for them to call us. The staff at the hospital had no answers for us about what had happened to Tane. Corrective Service Officers sat at his door while we cried, we sat and wondered if our boy was going to live or die. Hospital staff told our other children that “your brother’s brain is dying”. He never woke up.
Then began our long campaign for truth and justice, which we continue today.”
At least 437 Aboriginal people have died in custody since the final report of the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody was handed down in 1991.
Yesterday’s silent march was organised by the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA Sydney).
The inquest into Tane Chatfield’s death starts this week at Lidcombe Coroner’s Court .
Here is a link to a fundraiser to support Tane Chatfield’s family.
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