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1 month ago General
Body-worn camera footage from the controversial Town Hall protest in February has emerged showing NSW Police officers apparently boasting about striking a protester, as the state's police watchdog investigates what became the most complained-about incident in its history.
The footage, which has been widely shared on social media, captures an officer telling colleagues: "I f***ing pumped that c***.
"And then I punched him in the head when he was down," he continues.
"I saw that," a female colleague responds, laughing.
The officers can be seen walking down George Street as they disperse protesters following the anti-Herzog rally in Sydney.
Police actions during the Town Hall protest became the subject of intense public scrutiny and saw hundreds of complaints lodged to the state's police watchdog.
Videos filmed by protesters and members of the public circulated widely online at the time, however this is the first-known body-worn camera vision to emerge publicly.
A NSW government spokesperson said the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) was currently "examining the events of that evening, as is entirely appropriate".
"It is independent of Government and must be allowed to do its work," the spokesperson said.
"We have confidence in that process and will let it run its course."
A NSW Police spokesperson said the force was aware of the video but could not comment because of the ongoing LECC investigation.
In May, LECC Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson told an NSW parliamentary inquiry the watchdog had received more than 800 complaints about police conduct at the rally, which was the "greatest number of complaints on one topic in the commission's history".
The new footage was posted online by several pro-Palestinian accounts, including former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas.
It is unclear how the body-worn camera footage was obtained, however it was understood to have formed part of recent court proceedings involving a protester arrested at the rally.
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