2004 Redfern riots facts for kids

Fireworks being shot at police during the riot

The 2004 Redfern riots happened on the evening of Sunday, February 15, 2004. They took place in the inner Sydney area of Redfern, New South Wales. These events were started by the death of 17-year-old Thomas Hickey, also known as TJ Hickey. He died after a bike accident in the nearby area of Waterloo on February 14, 2004.

Thomas Hickey's Death

The way Thomas "T.J." Hickey died is a topic of disagreement. On the morning of Saturday, February 14, 2004, the 17-year-old Aboriginal boy was riding his bike downhill. A police car was patrolling nearby.

According to the New South Wales Police, TJ hit a raised gutter. He was then thrown into the air. He landed on a 1.2-metre high fence outside some units. This happened off Phillip Street in Waterloo. The fence caused serious injuries to his neck and chest. Police officers at the scene gave him first aid. Ambulance officers arrived soon after. TJ Hickey died with his family by his side early on February 15, 2004.

A big part of the official investigation focused on whether police were "pursuing" (chasing) Hickey or just "following" him. Police said they were not chasing him. They stated that their car was looking for a different person. This person was wanted for a bag snatching incident at Redfern railway station earlier that day.

The Hickey family and their supporters have a different view. They say that witnesses saw TJ's bike hit by the police car. They believe this caused him to be thrown onto the fence. However, this claim was not supported by all official testimonies.

As of 2020, the New South Wales government has not agreed to reopen the investigation. An appeal was made to the United Nations Human Rights Commission. Lawyers for the Hickey family asked them to look into the death. They also asked if there was any racial reason behind it. The commission concluded that the death was an accident.

The Riots

On the evening of February 15, 2004, people gathered on Eveleigh Street. These included Aboriginal and non-Indigenous young people and adults. Most were from The Block and other nearby housing areas. They gathered quickly after news of TJ's death spread.

Some people were seen getting ready with petrol bombs and bricks. This led police to close the Eveleigh Street entrance to the train station. The crowd then became angry and started throwing things. They threw bottles, bricks, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails (homemade fire bombs).

The violence grew into a full-scale riot around The Block area. Redfern railway station briefly caught fire but only had minor damage. The riot continued into the early morning. Police used water hoses from the fire brigade to break up the crowd. In total, a car was burned, and 40 police officers were injured.

After the Riots

A memorial service for TJ Hickey was held on February 19, 2004, in Redfern. Another service took place in Walgett, New South Wales, TJ's hometown, on February 22, 2004.

In 2005, students from the University of Technology Sydney donated a plaque. It had TJ's picture and a message. The message said TJ was "impaled upon the metal fence above, arising from a police pursuit." It also said he died from his injuries. Local police and the government did not allow the plaque to be placed on the wall. They wanted the words "police pursuit" changed to "tragic accident." The family refused to change the words.

In 2007, the New South Wales Police were fined $100,000. This was because the NSW Industrial Relations Commission found they had not kept their employees safe at work.

Legacy

The 2013 film Around the Block includes parts of the Redfern riots in its story.

See also

• 2005 Cronulla riots
• 2004 Palm Island death in custody (riot)
• 2004 in Australia
• Aboriginal deaths in custody