
Eleven years after Gomeroi man Mark Mason was killed by New South Wales Police, family members and supporters gathered outside state parliament on November 11 to demand justice for First Nations victims of police violence and an end to police killings.
The commemorative event was organised by the Indigenous Social Justice Association (ISJA).
Mason, a father of four, was capsicum sprayed and Tasered by police at his home in Collarenebri before they on November 11, 2010. Darlene Mason, Mark鈥檚 daughter, criticised the investigation. 鈥淭here is no way that police investigating police is a fair process,鈥 she said. 鈥淭he shooting was disgusting and heartbreaking, there has been no justice.鈥
Journalist Amy McQuire described Mark Mason in her article "" as someone who has 鈥渨orked hard鈥 all his life.
ISJA activist Raul Bassi condemned the police for using unnecessary lethal force and the justice system鈥檚 protection of violent police officers. 鈥淭here are laws to protect [cops] that don鈥檛 protect other people,鈥 he said.
Muruwari and Budjiti man Bruce Shillingsworth said there needs to be a movement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to demand changes in law enforcement and justice for First Nations people. 聽鈥淟et us come together to fight the injustice happening across this continent of ours 鈥 Let鈥檚 stand in our community, united in solidarity.鈥
Criminal lawyer Lisa De Luca told 麻豆传媒 that in footage of the shooting there was no evidence that Mason was holding a weapon. 鈥淥ne officer fired two shots, in immediate succession, one hitting Mr Mason through the shoulder, the other through the back 鈥 which was probably the fatal shot.
鈥淎fter shooting him 鈥 as he lay face down dying 鈥 police handcuffed him although they asserted they attempted CPR. There was an attempt to infer Mr Mason was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Toxicological results showed absolutely no drugs or alcohol in his system.鈥
The families鈥 fight led to a coronial inquest in 2013. Despite the fact that Mason had already been capsicum sprayed and Tasered, the officer who fired the fatal gunshots had acted reasonably.聽
Activist Padraic Gibson, Uncle Ray聽and Greens MPs David Shoebridge and聽Jenny Leong also spoke.
Meanwhile, two more First Nations men died recently in the racist incarceration system. Gomeroi man was shot and killed on November 9 by a NSW Police officer in Seven Hills. that the police shot Stanley 鈥渋n the chest at close range鈥. He had only recently woken when the police entered with an arrest warrant. 鈥淭here is a very big difference between an arrest warrant and shooting a man at close range inside a house,鈥 he said.
鈥淣eighbours say they heard four or five shots, all inside the house. We found out about the killing of our son Stanley when we were watching the news."
聽died in Long Bay Jail in December 1999 鈥渂ecause the NSW prison system has completely failed in its duty of care to Edward,鈥 the family said.
The ABC reported on November 7聽that a聽 was found unresponsive in his cell in the maximum security聽Shortland Correctional Prison.聽