NATIVIST NATIVES:

Powderkeg of anger (John Ferguson and Fiona Hudson, 17feb04, Herald Sun)

THE gruesome death of a teenage cyclist boiled over into the nation's worst race riots, with Aboriginal anger leaving at least 40 police injured and Sydney hosing down a racial powder keg.

Redfern was on riot watch again last night after angry youths had pelted police with firebombs, bottles and rocks during nine hours of violent clashes outside the local train station on Sunday night.

A police officer was knocked senseless by a brick, others suffered broken limbs and many were cut and bruised during the battle.

Redfern station was torched, its windows smashed, and cars were firebombed. Petrol bombs were hurled through the air and police reinforcements were called in from across Sydney.

Young teenagers wearing head gear to hide their faces were among the angry mob.

Five people were arrested during the riot, which featured on TV news bulletins in Britain and the US.

The battle was sparked by the weekend death of 17-year-old Thomas Hickey, who fell from his bike and was impaled on a fence a short distance from where the riot began.

An angry Aboriginal community blamed police for the death, saying they were chasing him when the tragedy happened.

See what happens when you let immigrants come to your country without legal permission?

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 16, 2004 11:35 AM