A 24-year-old man arrested for allegedly booing during the Acknowledgement of Country at Sydney’s Martin Place dawn service has been charged with committing a nuisance on a war memorial and will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday, 3 June.
NSW Police confirmed the man was arrested for “an alleged act of nuisance” during Saturday’s service, where Uncle Ray Minniecon, a Kabi Kabi and Gurang Gurang elder and veteran, was delivering the Acknowledgement of Country to about 11,000 attendees.
Police will allege in court the man was among a small group who booed while at the Cenotaph. He has been granted conditional bail. Several other people in the crowd were moved on by police during the service.
Operation commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Dunstan said the vast majority of attendees had shown appropriate respect.
“Anzac Day is one of the most significant dates on our national calendar, and police were pleased to see the community honouring the courage and sacrifice of our service personnel with respect” Assistant Commissioner Dunstan said.
He said thousands had attended the dawn service, with family, friends and supporters later lining the route to honour those marching.
The offence of committing a nuisance on a war memorial is set out in the Summary Offences Act 1988 (NSW). The case will be watched closely for how courts treat disruptive behaviour at commemorative services and public monuments.
Uncle Ray Minniecon, whose grandfather served in the Light Horse Brigade, continued his Acknowledgement despite the disruption. After the booing was quieted, thousands in the crowd responded with extended applause and cheering in support.
Speaking after the ceremony, Uncle Ray said that while laws existed to deter such behaviour, some people still chose to be “lawless”.
“I think they’ve got to understand that this always was and always will be Aboriginal land” he said.
He described the incident as part of a longer pattern: “We have experienced this type of racism now for over 230 years.”
RSL NSW acting president Brigadier Vincent Williams described the booers as “louts” and issued an unreserved apology to Uncle Ray.
“I’m pretty convinced that none of the bunch of louts who were booing have ever done anything constructive for our nation” Brigadier Williams said.
He said Uncle Ray’s family had contributed enormously to our nation from the First World War to the current day.
The Sydney incident was one of several reported disruptions at capital city dawn services, with similar booing reported at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance, Perth’s Kings Park and Adelaide. The incidents have been linked in media reports to an online campaign by a group calling itself “Fight for Australia”, which has been described as far-right.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said he had never heard booing like that at a dawn service before, but was encouraged by the spontaneous applause that followed.
“That act made it clear what the views of the vast majority attending were. This is a day to honour sacrifice” Mr Minns said.
Defence Minister Richard Marles described the behaviour as “disgraceful” and said it ran counter to everything Anzac Day represented. He said Indigenous Australians had been a critical part of the Australian Defence Force and the nation’s military history.
The matter returns to Downing Centre Local Court on 3 June.
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