NSW admits pro-Palestine protester Hannah Thomas was assaulted by police officers and falsely imprisoned
Summary
The state of New South Wales has admitted that a police officer punched protester Hannah Thomas in the eye during a pro-Palestine rally and that she was falsely imprisoned. The state has offered to cover her medical costs but denies claims of malicious prosecution and official misconduct.Key Facts
- Hannah Thomas was punched in the eye by Senior Constable Christopher Davis while he held a torch during a protest in Sydney in June 2025.
- She was arrested, charged, and later all charges were dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
- The punch caused serious injuries, including a ruptured eyeball and fractured eye socket, requiring three surgeries.
- The state admitted the officer’s use of force was a battery (illegal physical contact) and accepted responsibility for harm and damages.
- Police officer Pir Ali Noohpoto also grabbed Thomas before the punch, an action the state admitted as battery.
- Other officers used “reasonable force” to control the protest, which the state says was lawful and defensive.
- Thomas was kept from leaving the area after the incident despite visible injury, constituting false imprisonment.
- The state denies accusations of malicious prosecution and public office misconduct relating to Thomas’s arrest.
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