Lee Point Bust 9.10.2001

Jedda: We were all sitting down under the shade tree, near the toilet block, playing the tape, having a good time. Some of us where drinking. Tammy and Agnus don’t drink.The police they parked behind the toilet block, we didn’t see them.

They came out with a hammer, green one, heavy one. First thing they did they walked up to us with the hammer. They told the drinkers to tip the grog out of the small bottles.

Jeremiah: I told them we are 2km away from the bottle shop, we know how to pick up rubbish, why come here and tip out our grog. We not next to the shop. That’s a waste of money. They tipped out the grog. Then they told us to start walking.

Tammy: Jedda started talking about Parliament House, fighting for our rights. The people here were enjoying ourselves drinking, listening to music. (Police said) ‘You mob you got to move out right away. Right now.- We got nowhere to go. This is our home. Where we going to go? Nowhere to stay.

Agnes: You two back people, you not white people. We’ve got a lot of stuff here and nowhere to go. We are going to stay here. Where can we go?

When the policeman came everybody stood up. Some went camp way. We started to go road way.

Jedda: I was talking about my story and Tammy – that we wrote on the paper. They just grabbed me. We were going to walk up to our camp. They grabbed me one each side on my arm. They just go and pick me up and they dragged me. I was on my back. They held me by my wrist and were dragging me on my back. They dragged me over the cement for the sewage to where the first rubbish bin is, they draged me there. They forced my arm behind and they handcuffed me. I was lying on my tummy on the grass, I couldn't move. When they pushed me in the van they took it off.

Jeremiah: They didn’t ask Jedda – ‘Can you stand up and walk with us?’ – nothing. They were dragging her like a dead kangaroo. We said, ‘Don’t do that – tell her to get up.’ We were start crying for her. We were really shame for her. We not animal. We human being. White people they living in good house, but us – we always camping on the ground.

Jedda: Our mother and father taught us how to live and that’s how we’re living now. Joseph, he took the partner for me. He said, ‘Don’t do that to her. Treat her good way.’

Jeremiah:They dragged Jedda to the paddy wagon and me and Joseph was angry – Jedda was sick inside.

Jedda: Joseph and Jeremiah came up to the police near the paddy wagon. Joseph he said ‘I’m going to get that stick for you mob’ – and they used that spray. They had it in their pocket. They put it at Joseph’s eyes and they sprayed it in his eyes.

Joseph: I fell over backwards. The pain knocked me over. Straight away they dragged me to the tap. They turned the tap on my eyes and they left me like that. Burning my eyes just like I'm on fire.

Jedda: I was sick, too. I had the problem… chest problem… asthma. Those two took the partner for me. Jeremiah trying to get the number plate. The police went and grabbed him and pushed him in the van. They put Joseph first in the back and then Jeremiah.

This was 4pm, 4.30

Jeremiah: I pushed that policeman when they were taking me in(to the watchhouse). When I got out of the paddy wagon, different policeman at the watch house, and he sprayed my eyes. I was sticking up for Jedda. I felt dizzy. They put a little bit on me, but they put too much on Joseph.

Miriam : To Scott, we said, just keep taking the photo, and he did.

Agnes: Jedda said we just came back from Parliament House, fighting for our lives, and they must have got the mobile phone. They must have said these people at Lee Point. Joseph was under the tap when other police vans and cars turn up. They all got out of the car. We try to tell them what those two policemen did, but they told us don’t talk to us, just keep walking. We just walked away. Every body went bush. They were frightened for them.

Tammy: They told us don’t go that way. (Into the bushes) Go town way.

Jedda: Us three went to watch house. The other police cars and vans followed us. When I got there I told them I was sick, to take me to the hospital. I had short breath. The same two police took me to hospital. We used to stay back of hospital, but all the time, night patrol and policeman, every minute. That’s why we came here.

10.10.2001

The boss for conservation mob rang up to tell the police to move us out. Boss told them today. They came and said this to us. They came here today, same ones that dragged me. They took Robert from Millingimbi. He was walking up from Tiwi to visit us and they grabbed him and took him in the van. We don’t know why.

They said, ‘You people got to move now. Start walking now.’

They are going to come back later on and check up - everyday come back. They told us to ‘move, keep walking and not to camp out.’

We started walking.