Hannah Thomas, a 35-year-old former Greens candidate who ran against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is fighting to save her eyesight after a brutal arrest at a protest in Sydney.
Thomas was part of a group of around 60 protesters blocking access to a business on Lakemba Street, reportedly supplying materials to make weapons.
According to police, the protest was unauthorized, and some of the group refused to move on, leading to arrests.
Allegations of Police Brutality
The Greens have accused the police of being heavy-handed, and New South Wales Greens MLC Sue Higginson claims that Thomas may lose vision in one eye due to her injuries.
Images of Thomas, bruised and with a bloodied eye, have sparked outrage, with the Greens stating that “NSW Police violently attacked and assaulted protestors at the ‘peaceful’ picket.”
Multiple Arrests Made
Five people were arrested, including climate protester Zack Schofield from Rising Tide, on various charges such as larceny, refusing to comply with directions, and using offensive language.
Thomas, who ran against Albanese in Grayndler in Sydney’s Inner West in the last election, is now hospitalized at Bankstown Hospital.
Her injuries have even made headlines in Malaysian media, thanks to her father being the nation’s former attorney-general.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.