Comments on: Unexplained police absence “a step backwards” for community relationship

By: Blackness

Blackness — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 07:06:46 +0000

Twenty years ago? Our world ahs changed and we might be best to move on.

By: Dean McInerney

Dean McInerney — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 12:39:04 +0000

As the person who has become the face attached this Documentary in the MQFF program this year and in this article also; I must say this is such a non-event about a non-issue. I cannot understand why anyone would assert that the Police should participate in this memorialisation of the raid. Just leave them out of it. It was a grim experience for everyone involved and ultimately a nasty lesson for the Police. Lets just hope they never forget it and that the massive financial damages they incurred ring on as a reminder about abusing their power against anyone. GLBT community spends too much energy fussing over the finest possible details of their own percieved position in the community. In case you havent noticed there are a score of more pressing issues, namely the Victorian anti-protest laws, and the Federal Governments bid to repeal anti-discrimination legislation. Moves that affect a much larger percentage of the community.

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 05:58:02 +0000

Not just the late eighties clothes and hair style is back, but also the barking homophobia. Hate crimes are actually up. Everything old is new again. Victoria Police committed many hate crimes, from arresting gay men for wearing ordinary belts (a weapon), to bashing the crap out of them at beats, or simply making up charges. So many lives were effected by the culture hate and violence that dominated Victoria Police in those days. The current Attorney General, Robert Clark, the guy who recently led the charge stripping our workplace protections from the Equal Opportunity Act, told parliament homosexuality is a sick disease and a destructive lifestyle. I know of many people who have suicided over the years.

In the new crowd of the LNP, there are still so many old faces. Supporting GLBTI Rights are not just about turning up for media at pride events. They are about doing the community involvement. Making a difference, seeing victims at events like the Tasty reunion. Our community, within living memory, has been the victim of many hate crimes by police, and I am sorry but I strongly feel Ken Lay should be sacked if he thinks doing police work is not also about building bridges. The Tasty Night Club raid was a crime, people were stripped, digitally raped, and abused in a reign of terror by the police. It frightened the general public, and led to widespread change. The history should be respected by police, not ignored.