Community campaigners dispute Police version of alleged assault
on fifty year old woman
Dandenong Ranges, Victoria – 08/07/13 – The Tecoma community are in
shock over the alleged assault by McDonalds’ Security staff that occurred late
last Wednesday evening (3/7/13) “If proven this is a step too far taken by
McDonalds” said a spokesperson for the No McDonalds in the Dandenong
Ranges group. The Victorian Police Media Unit released a statement on
Thursday morning claiming that a fifty year old Belgrave woman is expected
to be charged with trespass after sustaining lacerations to fingers after falling
from a wall. “It is our understanding that the woman’s medical reports show
that she has several broken fingers, severe bruising and lacerations
consistent with being dragged or pulled. We also believe eye witnesses claim
she was pulled from the roof by the head/hair from several over zealous
McDonalds’ security staff” the spokesperson said. “Audio was also supplied to
several commercial television news services who aired the audio as well as
images of the woman’s injuries on Thursday evening news services”
The group’s Media & Communications Spokesperson Garry Muratore spent a
great deal of last Thursday evening and much of Friday morning working
directly with the Victorian Police Media Unit in an attempt to get a clarification
of the situation. “I have worked closely with VicPol this week dealing with an
“opposite number” and up until this point have only had praise for the way
officers on site have handled themselves. We believe this respect was mutual
with a Senior VicPol officer commending our group on their behaviour and
publication of a code of conduct.” Said Muratore. “However the discussions
with the Media Unit have been perplexing with some officers saying the there
was no report of an incident on Wednesday evening and others claiming that
the woman sustained injuries in a fall and that an investigation is on-going.”
Mr Muratore called upon VicPol on Friday to issue a statement that saying
that the investigation is on going to determine how the woman was injured.
“To claim the women fell whilst an investigation is on-going seems a strange
way to handle what could be seen as an possible inflammatory situation for
the protest” said Muratore
The group was further perplexed when an officer conducting a patrol at the
site on Friday night admitted to protesters that he had attended the
Wednesday night incident and “Our media unit has it wrong and a new
statement would be issued”
Mr. Muratore made additional contact with Police Media late Friday afternoon
with this additional information and was “there would be no new statement
made on the matter”
After taking legal advice late on Friday night the No McDonalds in the
Dandenong Ranges group have referred the matter to VicPol’s Professional
Standards Command (PSC) Police Conduct Unit and will make no further
comment until a representative from the group is interviewed by Professional
Standards Command.
