

ACF Media Release

14 May 2000

Call to release Police "specific operations order" for Beverley uranium protests

The Australian Conservation Foundation are formally requesting the SA Police to publicly release their "specific operations order" for the Beverley uranium mine protest on Tuesday the 9th that led to extensive police violence against a peaceful protest. Some 100 uranium protesters returned to blockade the mine site yesterday amidst a heavy police presence.

"Police have to be called to account for their systematic and unprovoked use of violence against protesters at the Beverley mine site" said David Noonan, ACF Campaign Officer.

"These special instructions from senior police must be made public for there to be public confidence in investigations of the conduct of police at the uranium mine protest."

Senior police have confirmed to the ACF the existence of the "specific operations order" for the Beverley protest, in addition to their "standing general orders" for protests. ACF are lodging a notice under the Freedom of Information Act for release of the Police order.

The Police Complaints Authority is investigating police actions at the Beverley protests.

General Atomics of the USA is preparing for construction of a commercial uranium extraction plant at Beverley. Just as at the proposed Jabiluka mine, the only way the company can proceed with work at Beverley is in the presence of extensive police forces.

"Young Australians are exercising their civil rights to oppose this extension of the nuclear industry, as General

Atomics seek to exercise an assumed right to deliberately pollute groundwater with all the wastes from the operations of the proposed Beverley mine."

"There is a clear choose in values here" said David Noonan, "is it to be a nuclear free or a radioactive future? Young Australians have made their choice and are leading society at the Beverley protests, now we must see to it that the Beverley mine does not proceed."

Contact: David Noonan, ACF Campaign Officer Ph: 0408821058 Dave Sweeney, ACF Co-ordinator Nuclear Issues Ph: 03-99266708 or 0408317812

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