Sophie Teo
When it comes to nightlife in Sydney, it can feel like police have a slightly obsessive compulsion to shut things down. From bringing police dogs into venues for random-checks, to strip searching partygoers at festivals. Now, the latest: raiding a house party over a noise complaint alongside a strike force, the “Raptor Squad”, and the riot squad.The incident occurred on Sunday, when a house party in Surry Hills was raided by police following a noise complaint. According to a statement provided by NSW Police, officers spoke to an occupant who was “uncooperative” at the time. Later, at 10:20pm, they spoke to a 26-year-old male occupant where they issued a formal noise abatement direction. Police say the occupant refused to comply.“Due to ongoing complaints from the area, Surry Hills Police applied for and were granted an entry warrant to investigate the noise,” said the statement.Sophie Teo, an attendee at the party when it was raided around midnight, took to Instagram to document the activity through various photos and videos that have made up the bulk of the media’s coverage in the days since. Party-goers can be seen sitting on a kitchen floor with arms raised, and being forcibly pushed to the ground.“The most unnecessary bullshit I’ve ever experienced,” she wrote.
According to the police statement, additional specialist units, including Strike Force Odin officers, the Raptor Squad (an operation created to target outlaw bikie gangs), the Public Order and Riot Squad, were sent to execute the warrant at 12:20am. Police allege that partygoers proceeded to throw glass bottles and ice, further attempting to block them from the home.OC spray, or pepper spray, was then deployed into the crowd until they dispersed.“These are our so-called protectors,” Teo wrote in an instagram post.“Yet I’ve never felt so unsafe and traumatised in my whole life.” One attendee, who asked not to be named, told The Daily Telegraph, that the police arrived “at 12:15ish” and stayed for almost an hour. Police then seized electronic equipment, as permitted by the warrant.By the party’s end, two arrests were made. A 21-year-old woman was arrested and charged with police assault in execution of duty, and a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with hindering police in execution of duty.Police have also issued an Infringement notice to the occupant for the offence of “not ceasing noise after noise abatement direction.”Follow Julie Fenwick on Twitter and Instagram.Read more from VICE Australia and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, This Week Online.
Advertisement
Advertisement