Hannah Thomas risks losing sight in one eye after police violently arrested her at a peaceful protest against an Israeli defense supplier.
An Australian politician sustained serious facial injuries, including potential loss of sight in one eye, after being detained during a protest outside a business in Sydney, accused of supplying components to the Israeli military.
The protest, which was held on Friday, reportedly drew between 50 and 60 demonstrators. According to the activists, the business provides electroplating and surface coating services for various industries, including aerospace and defense, and is linked to the production of components for F-35 fighter jets used by the Israeli military.
New South Wales Police stated that protesters had not submitted advance notification or completed required documentation, making the action “unauthorized” under current anti-protest laws. Officers issued a move-on order, but several individuals reportedly refused to comply.
#BREAKING: Hannah Thomas, former Greens candidate for Grayndler, releases video:
“I’m 5 foot 1, I weigh about 45 kilos, I was engaged in peaceful protest – and my interactions with NSW Police have left me potentially without vision in my right eye permanently” | @6NewsAU pic.twitter.com/4KScRQB7ps
— Leonardo Puglisi (@Leo_Puglisi6) June 29, 2025
Among those arrested was Australian politician Hannah Thomas, 35, who previously ran against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the federal seat of Grayndler.
The police claimed that Thomas resisted arrest and was forcibly removed. She was later transported to Bankstown Hospital with facial injuries.
Photos circulated online show her right eye swollen and bruised, and friends and family have expressed concern she may lose vision in that eye.
Speaking from the hospital on Sunday, Thomas said she was “engaged in a peaceful protest” when she was attacked by police. The “interaction,” she added, “left me potentially without vision in my right eye permanently.”
She criticized the “draconian laws” used to suppress pro-Palestinian protests, saying they have “emboldened the police to crack down with extreme violence and brutality.”
Thomas emphasized that her experience “is obviously nothing compared to what people in Gaza are going through because of Israel,” and vowed to “keep protesting.”
According to the Guardian, Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi condemned the police response, calling the actions “atrocious.”
“Hannah’s health is my top priority,” Faruqi reportedly said. “Once she is able to consider next steps, she has my full support in responding to this and seeking accountability.”
Additionally, New South Wales Greens MLC Sue Higginson described the protest as peaceful and labeled the police response “brutal” and “excessive.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
