Yesterday, footage of a 16-year-old Aboriginal teenager being violently arrested by a NSW policeman went viral on social media.
@saronneyyy Today in Sydney Australia. A 16 year old Aboriginal boy slammed to the ground.
The video begins with a verbal argument between the teenager and officer, taking place in Ward Park, Surry Hills. The policeman then orders the Aboriginal boy to turn around.
The teenager's feet are then kicked off the ground by the officer, resulting in him falling face-first onto the pavement.
While this footage would normally be shocking, set against the backdrop of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in the US, it's a stark reminder of Australian's own violent history of excessive police force and brutality against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
@MissAshlee__ @FrostWolfLost @saronneyyy Violence against children is never ok. This is a serious criminal offence. This guy should lose his job. He lost his cool because of a comment. How unprofessional. What this boy has done is irrelevant. The officer has a duty of care, particularly to children. Absolute disgrace.
In response to the incident, NSW Police Commissioner, Mick Fuller, has said that the officer, who has been placed on restricted duties, "had a bad day".
Both the treatment of the Aboriginal teenager by the officer and these subsequent comments made by the Commissioner have outraged the Australian public.
@abcnews Had a bad day? He freaking assaulted a kid, pushed him down on his face. He should be fired and then charged with assault. Sorry officer I killed my husband because I had a bad day? FFS.
@abcnews Not acceptable. Not acceptable. Not acceptable. Not acceptable. Not acceptable.
@abcnews Yeah fair I bash teenage boys faces in when I’m stressed at work too. Doesn’t everybody?
I often had “a bad day” working in child protection- verbally abused, physically threatened, spat on etc. Can’t say I ever needed to kick a teenager onto the ground though. https://t.co/TJy2vlErVw
sucks when you're 'having a bad day' while also significantly empowered to use force by the state https://t.co/S7k0n5FGzh
@abcnews So having a bad day now justifies assault.... I DON’T THINK SO
@abcnews Having a bad day is not an acceptable excuse and should never have been used by a “police boss”. It appears there maybe some qualification issues in the NSW police, starting at the top.
This also came off the back of comments made by Police Minister David Elliot, which also drew public outcry.
