A former Greens candidate has been hospitalised following injuries sustained during an arrest at a pro-Palestinian protest in Sydney’s south-west on Friday morning.
The protest took place outside SEC Plating in Belmore, where demonstrators claimed the company supplies components for aircraft used by the Israeli military — a claim the company denies, stating its work supports Australian defence only.
NSW Police said the protest was unauthorised and that during efforts to disperse the group, a 35-year-old woman was injured while being taken into custody. She was identified as Hannah Thomas, who recently ran against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler.
Video footage captured by protesters shows a scuffle between attendees and police, during which Thomas appears to be pulled away and falls to the ground. Witnesses reported seeing her face bloodied, with one saying her right eye appeared completely shut after the incident. Another described the injury as the result of a direct strike to her face.
Police confirmed that Thomas was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment. While the incident is not classified as a critical incident, it will be reviewed as per standard protocol for any use of force. No formal complaints have been made, and no charges have been laid against Thomas. She was reportedly scheduled for surgery, with concerns raised about potential damage to her vision or facial bones.
Greens politicians, including Senator Mehreen Faruqi, federal MP David Shoebridge, and NSW MP Sue Higginson, have expressed concern over the use of force and offered their full support to Thomas. Higginson, speaking in her legal capacity, described the police conduct as excessive.
Four other individuals were also arrested, including a man accused of briefly taking a police body camera. All have been granted conditional bail and are expected in court on July 15.
