Yesterday, around 50 people attempted to occupy the vast expanse of the Domain in Sydney to demand justice for Dunghutti man David Dungay Junior, who was killed in Long Bay Jail in 2015 when prison guards rushed him in his prison cell for refusing to stop eating a packet of biscuits. His last words, like those of George Floyd in the USA, were “I can’t breathe.”
The attempted protest in the Domain drew parallels between Dungay’s death and Floyd’s death, tapping into the Black Lives Matter movement which has sprung up around the world in recent months.
Tuesday’s action had been condemned by mainstream media, the government and police, citing COVID-19 safety concerns, despite organisers offering a COVID safety plan. The police took the organisers to the Supreme Court to block the protest and were ultimately successful. The protesters decided to proceed, despite the court’s decision.
A massive police presence met the small crowd at the Domain, quickly arresting a key organiser, Paddy Gibson and five others, and dispersing the rest. Those detained were issued with a $1,000 fine. Groups of police roamed the CBD, ensuring all the protesters had properly dispersed.
Later that day, the family of David Dungay Junior presented a petition with nearly 100,000 signatures to Greens MPs, David Shoebridge and Jenny Leong, at NSW Parliament House, where barricades had been set up along Macquarie Street. The petition called for the prosecution of the prison guards responsible for Mr Dungay’s death. The Dungay family, including mother, Leetona Dungay and nephew, Paul Silva, have been fighting for justice for the last five years.
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