There's no need for an independent investigation into the arrest of a young man at the Sydney Mardi Gras, Police Minister Mike Gallacher says.
NSW police today announced an investigation after a video emerged of an 18-year-old man with a head wound being thrown to the ground by police while handcuffed during the Mardi Gras celebrations in Sydney on Saturday. At least six officers were involved in his arrest.
The incident, which occurred at the intersection of Reily Street and Oxford Street in Surry Hills, was captured on video by an onlooker during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Gras Parade, and posted on YouTube.
Police today charged the 18-year-old with assaulting police, resisting arrest and using offensive language in public.
CALLS FOR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION
The NSW Greens and a City of Sydney councillor have called for an independent inquiry into the matter, saying an investigation into the police handling of the incident shouldn't be left to police.
"The independent investigation should examine whether homophobia was involved in the policing of the crowds and the operation as a whole," NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said in a statement. She said an independent investigation will help the gay community trust police again.
About 1,000 extra officers patrolled the event on Saturday March 2, which was attended by 10,000 members and supporters of the gay community.
But Mr Gallacher says the NSW Ombudsman will review the incident and an additional investigation is not necessary.
"For anyone to suggest that the ombudsman is not independent, they're being very, very unfair," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.
"I'm satisfied the ombudsman is independent, is truly independent of the NSW Police Force.”
Mr Gallacher added that he had not received any complaints about excessive use of force or brutality by police at Mardi Gras. As the area is "saturated" with CCTV cameras, there will be plenty of footage available to review and any judgment on police actions should wait until the investigation is complete, he said.
'UNDERMINING COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS'
Gay rights activist Gary Burns says the YouTube footage has undermined efforts police have made to improve relationships within the community.
"This behaviour by NSW Police is unacceptable and shows police are too readily prepared to use the limited act of violence against members of the homosexual community instead of the art of engagement with them to diffuse difficult situations," Mr Burns said in a statement on Wednesday.
He also suggested NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione had lost control of officers working on the front line.
"...they are acting like the old former consorting squad of the 70's, a law unto themselves," he said.
Gay and lesbian website Same Same detailed another alleged incident on Oxford Street near Crown street at about 11:30pm on Saturday March 2 in which police were reportedly heavy-handed.
The website quoted a witness who described the police behaviour as 'brutal and heavy-handed' but said it did not appear to be homophobic attack.
POLICE INVESTIGATION
NSW police association president Scott Weber said the footage must be properly investigated before the actions of police are judged.
"We've seen time and time again where footage looks very adverse ... but then on proper investigation it was easy to highlight that the police officer's actions were justified," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.
Mr Weber, a serving officer, said NSW police had more oversight bodies than any other force, arguing an internal investigation is appropriate.
"Police officers investigating police always do a very thorough job," he told Fairfax Radio.
He said an investigation would shed more light on the incident than a YouTube video clip.
"We got a snippet in regard to what's occurred," he said. "Until you see the holistic approach of what actually did occur on that night you really can't make a decision about it."
A woman who witnessed the incident can be heard in the background of the video saying "(the officer) won't be punished because you will have internal inquests. Nothing will happen to the police office that just slammed that guy's head against the ground".
An officer is then seen to throw the handcuffed man to the ground before standing with one foot on his back for at least 20 seconds.
The initial encounter between the young man and officers was not shown in the film.
Another woman can be heard saying "this (officer) here grabbed him by throat and smashed his skull on the pavement".
A third woman, who appeared distressed, said "they just slammed his head, there's blood all over the ground".
'DISTRESSING'
After viewing the footage, the Sydney gay and lesbian Mardi Gras organisation posted a statement on Facebook saying the incident was "quite distressing and our thoughts are with the individual, his family, friends and those that witnessed this."
Mardi Gras co-chairman Peter Urmson said the gay and lesbian community was upset by the incident.
"Looking at the footage, the guy that's being apprehended doesn't seem to be too aggressive and we just wonder how this could come to be. It just seems as though the guy is being basically picked on," he told ABC.
The gay sister of federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Christine Forster, said she could "barely watch" the video.
"Terrible to see such an incident when Mardi Gras is such a celebration of community," the local politician tweeted, under the hashtag #MardiGrasBrutality.
The man will appear in Downing Centre Local Court on April 1.
