Police Training Materials, Protest Injuries, and Post-2017 Cultural Reforms
Dear NSW Police Force,
I am making a request under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW).
I seek access to information regarding police training, protest response, and any remedial actions taken in relation to cultural stereotyping and use of force—particularly following the NSW Police Force’s public apology for a 2017 counter-terrorism training exercise involving actors dressed as "Middle Eastern terrorists" (ABC News, 24 October 2017).
Please provide documents created between 1 October 2017 and the date of this request, including:
1. Training materials, videos, manuals, briefing notes, or role-play scenarios (including those used by the Public Order and Riot Squad) that involve depictions or simulations of:
-Palestinian, Arab, or Middle Eastern individuals;
-Pro-Palestinian protests or movements;
-Protesters characterised as “terrorists,” “threat actors,” or “sympathisers.”
2. Incident reports, debriefs, reviews, or assessments relating to:
-Injuries sustained by protesters during police operations (especially involving head trauma, eye injuries, or hospitalisation);
-Allegations of excessive force during protest or crowd control;
-Including the injury of Hannah Thomas during a 2024 Sydney protest, where serious harm was allegedly caused by NSW Police actions.
3. Internal communications (emails, memos, policy discussions) regarding how protesters are conceptualised in training or simulated scenarios, particularly with reference to cultural or political groups.
Additionally, I request records from 1 October 2017 to present related to remedial actions taken in response to the 2017 incident, specifically:
4. Revised protocols or training materials designed to prevent cultural or racial stereotyping;
5. Internal or external audits, reviews, or evaluations assessing whether these reforms were implemented and effective;
6. Consultation records or correspondence with community, multicultural, or human rights bodies about training reform;
7. Disciplinary actions, retraining directives, or formal recommendations issued to police units in relation to culturally inappropriate training or protest conduct.
Public Interest
This request is made in the public interest. It concerns transparency in the training and conduct of NSW Police, particularly regarding protest response and the portrayal of ethnic and political identities. Despite a public apology in 2017, recent incidents—such as the serious injury of Hannah Thomas during a peaceful protest in 2024—raise questions about whether meaningful reform has occurred.
The public has a right to know what changes have been made, if they’ve been effective, and how accountability is ensured when serious harm occurs.
If parts of the request are considered too broad, I’m happy to refine. If redactions are required, I request access to all non-exempt material in accordance with the GIPA Act.
Please respond via this platform.
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Dreamtime
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your email to NSW Police Force.
Unfortunately, you would need to fill out a GIPA application to get access to any reports you may require.
You can apply via the portal and/or send the GIPA application through the post.
Please see the below link to help you get to the page quicker.
https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/online_ser...
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Kiara Leach
Customer Service Representative
InfoLink, Office of the General Counsel
Phone: +61 2 8835 6888
Eaglenet: 26888
Email: [email address]
-----Original Message-----
From: Dreamtime <[FOI #13338 email]>
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2025 12:39 AM
To: #GIPA <[email address]>
Subject: Government Information (Public Access) request - Police Training Materials, Protest Injuries, and Post-2017 Cultural Reforms
Dear NSW Police Force,
I am making a request under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (NSW).
I seek access to information regarding police training, protest response, and any remedial actions taken in relation to cultural stereotyping and use of force—particularly following the NSW Police Force’s public apology for a 2017 counter-terrorism training exercise involving actors dressed as "Middle Eastern terrorists" (ABC News, 24 October 2017).
Please provide documents created between 1 October 2017 and the date of this request, including:
1. Training materials, videos, manuals, briefing notes, or role-play scenarios (including those used by the Public Order and Riot Squad) that involve depictions or simulations of:
-Palestinian, Arab, or Middle Eastern individuals; -Pro-Palestinian protests or movements; -Protesters characterised as “terrorists,” “threat actors,” or “sympathisers.”
2. Incident reports, debriefs, reviews, or assessments relating to:
-Injuries sustained by protesters during police operations (especially involving head trauma, eye injuries, or hospitalisation); -Allegations of excessive force during protest or crowd control; -Including the injury of Hannah Thomas during a 2024 Sydney protest, where serious harm was allegedly caused by NSW Police actions.
3. Internal communications (emails, memos, policy discussions) regarding how protesters are conceptualised in training or simulated scenarios, particularly with reference to cultural or political groups.
Additionally, I request records from 1 October 2017 to present related to remedial actions taken in response to the 2017 incident, specifically:
4. Revised protocols or training materials designed to prevent cultural or racial stereotyping; 5. Internal or external audits, reviews, or evaluations assessing whether these reforms were implemented and effective; 6. Consultation records or correspondence with community, multicultural, or human rights bodies about training reform; 7. Disciplinary actions, retraining directives, or formal recommendations issued to police units in relation to culturally inappropriate training or protest conduct.
Public Interest
This request is made in the public interest. It concerns transparency in the training and conduct of NSW Police, particularly regarding protest response and the portrayal of ethnic and political identities. Despite a public apology in 2017, recent incidents—such as the serious injury of Hannah Thomas during a peaceful protest in 2024—raise questions about whether meaningful reform has occurred.
The public has a right to know what changes have been made, if they’ve been effective, and how accountability is ensured when serious harm occurs.
If parts of the request are considered too broad, I’m happy to refine. If redactions are required, I request access to all non-exempt material in accordance with the GIPA Act.
Please respond via this platform.
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Dreamtime
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