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| Down Under |
| Drunken police raid US students |
| 2004-05-30 |
| A group of drunken off-duty police officers forced American students to kneel on the ground at their Fremantle dormitory while taunting and humiliating them about the United States involvement in Iraq. The incident is one of several being investigated by police internal affairs after a wild night in two of the port city’s popular night spots involving seven WA police and two NSW officers. Some of the worst behaviour was inflicted on patrons at the Orient Hotel, where one of the officers vomited across the bar after the drunken group was refused service. Witnesses said a German barman was abused and insulted with nazi salutes. Earlier, the men told drinkers they were "above the law" because they were police. The West Australian was told some drinkers at the Orient Hotel last Tuesday were Notre Dame University students but the abuse of the US students erupted after a fight at the Zanzibar nightclub. During that incident, one of the seven WA officers, who are all from the Fremantle district, was allegedly assaulted by one of the American Notre Dame students and had a tooth knocked out. Enraged, some of the drunken officers tracked the American down to the university’s student accommodation. It was there that several American students, including some who had nothing to do with the clash at the Zanzibar, were made to kneel on the ground and were humiliated. It is understood the taunting included comments such as "Yankies go home", "What are you doing in our country" and "What are you doing in Iraq". Frightened students called the police... Police Minister Michelle Roberts said she was appalled by what she had been told about the incident. "I wouldn't have thought that any police officers would engage in this kind of behaviour, on duty or off duty," she said. "The fact of the matter is that police officers . . . need to set an example to the community." Assistant Commissioner Tim Atherton said the public had high expectations of police and he had instructed a superintendent and an inspector to investigate the matter. Mr Atherton pledged to get to the bottom of any misconduct by police. "The Commissioner and I share a great deal of frustration about this incident," he said. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #10 Well, I am good friends with one of the guys who was involved in the incident and yes the Iraq comment did happen, and my buddy said it was the scariest thing in his life. He was forced on his knees with a gun to his head and was told that if he moved he would get his brains blown out, and my buddy had nothing to do with the fight other than he was an American who knew the kid who got into the fight. One kid got into a drunken fight with an off duty cop and 6 or 7 others who had nothing to do with the fight got their lives threatened. You say they got what they deserved? I strongly disagree. |
| Posted by: Anonymous5485 2004-06-30 11:47:24 PM |
| #9 Anonymous5053 - What in the hell are you talking about... Your pathetic, go put your crayons away and let the adults talk here and quit eating those stupid pills. What a dolt. |
| Posted by: Long Hair Republican 2004-05-31 12:34:12 AM |
| #8 unbelievable...can you imagine if police in America did this to Middle Eastern college students?! We would be called Nazi's for sure. Secret police and all that jazz. |
| Posted by: TS(vice girl) 2004-05-30 6:49:23 PM |
| #7 Just to be consistent, I expect the SMH to call for John Howard to apologize to Tony Blair for this behavior, and publish endless articles bemoaning the fact that Australian police are every bit as corrupt as the Laotian police. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2004-05-30 2:35:53 PM |
| #6 That's: Instead of gracefully accepting it, a group of Australia's lowest decided to track down this student and show the world there this nothing more courageous than a pack of drunken Aussi cops against a lone student, abusing, under the color of law, a visitor their fair land. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-05-30 10:56:46 AM |
| #5 Anon5053 - I'm ashamed you're an american too. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-05-30 10:46:53 AM |
| #4 Dhimmi5053, Dumbass Aussi cop lost a barfight. Instead of gracefully accepting it, a group of Australia's lowest decided to track down this student and show the world there this nothing more courageous than a pack of drunken Aussi cops against a abusing, under the color of law, a visitor their fair land. Doesn't say much for their manhood or intelligence. Proper Aussis are appalled by their behavior. In the old days, if Chinese did something like this, a gun boat would have stopped by to put a boot up their ass. So sod off you shameful, politicall correct, gonad challenged, sperm recepticle. |
| Posted by: ed 2004-05-30 10:46:18 AM |
| #3 As an American, the students got what they deserved. Had they been in China, a cane acroos the mouth would have been appropriate. I am ashamed to be an American in light of this behavior. I apologize to everyone who has been disrespected by American citizens in thewir own homeland. Truly a disgrace. |
| Posted by: Anonymous5053 2004-05-30 9:37:15 AM |
| #2 I agree! If the olympics had an 'abusive drunk' gold medal then the Brits and Australians would have it sown up. |
| Posted by: Phil B 2004-05-30 9:29:40 AM |
| #1 Much less to this story than Drudge implied. The Iraq comment seems about the worst the sodden bugger could come up with. I was more impressed with vomiting across the bar after being refused service. Shame on the Notre Dame guy. No points for punching out a fellow drunk. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-05-30 8:44:38 AM |