http://www.smh.com.au/news/0108/08/national/national115.html

Police deny they over-reacted

Police have fiercely rejected claims they overreacted when a group of protesters occupied the Colombian consulate in North Sydney today.

Police closed streets and called in armed response teams after the protesters took over the consulate office on the 12th floor of a building in Walker Street about 9.30am (AEST) today.

Negotiators were able to peacefully resolve the situation by about 1.15pm (AEST).

Operation leader Commander Dick Adams said information received by police led them to believe the protesters were armed.

"Reports were that the people who had occupied the building had weapons and we had to make sure whether that was true or not," Commander Adams told journalists.

advertisement

advertisement

"Initial intelligence to us was that there was a long-arm (gun) seen by a security officer, across the knees of one of the male occupiers, and that's why we took the threat very seriously."

However no weapons were found on the protesters after they left the building, Commander Adams said.

One of the protesters, Ryan Heath of the National Union of Students (NUS), believed the police had "grossly over-reacted" to the situation.

He said police had contributed to the crisis by cutting off phone lines and making it impossible for those involved in the occupation to leave the building.

"My only interpretation is if the police wanted a peaceful outcome to a peaceful protest they should have communicated with the protesters first instead of evacuating an entire building and city block," he said.

"I think police have grossly over-reacted."

He said the protesters were forced to negotiate with police on two mobile phones with failing batteries at 12.30pm.
The drama began at 9.30am when the protesters gathered outside the Walker Street offices to protest against what they said were atrocities against trade unions in Colombia.

After meeting outside the protesters moved up to the Consul General's office on the 12th floor where two consul workers were going about their work.

The protesters occupied the office, closing the door behind them with the workers and the AAP journalist inside, around 10am.

The doors were opened shortly afterwards and although no one was being forced to stay in the building the group remained inside.

Phone lines in the building were cut off and lifts were disabled.

Around 11.30am police issued a media alert saying they had set up a police command in North Sydney and blocked off surrounding streets amid reports that hostages were being held and firearms were involved.

As tension and confusion mounted inside the building, the protesters indicated they were afraid to leave the premises because of uncertainty about the situation outside.

They were also demanding to speak with Colombian president Andres Pastrana.

By midday police began negotiations with protesters and two women, including the oldest member of the group were allowed to leave the building.

Following further negotiations the group filed out of the building.

They were being debriefed by police.

Commander Adams strongly criticised sections of the media for their role in the situation.

He said police were not made aware the protest would occur today, although many media outlets were sent press releases yesterday about the event.

He said in the early stages of the event, journalists phoned the mobile phone numbers on the releases to contact protesters.

"Our negotiations were thwarted quite seriously by some small sections of the media who insisted on contacting some of the people inside," Commander Adams said.

"It is not what the community would expect in a police operation that people would hamper our negotiation process."

Commander Adams would not comment on whether any of the protesters would be charged.

sangraal