Redfern Legal Centre calls on the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force, Mal Lanyon, to stand down officers whose use of force at last Monday’s protest appears excessive, based on the available footage.
Last Friday, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) announced that, following numerous complaints, it will investigate the police operation at Sydney Town Hall and surrounding areas on the evening of Monday, 9 February 2026.
The investigation will examine allegations of misconduct by NSW police officers against individuals who attended the protest.
Samantha Lee, Assistant Principal Solicitor at RLC, said:
“There is extensive footage from the protest that clearly identifies officers whose use of force appears excessive.
While the full circumstances of each incident have yet to be established, there are cases that, on their face, not only fail the ‘pub test’ but may also fall short of the legal standard for reasonable use of force.
To maintain public confidence in police while the facts are being investigated, these officers whose use of force appears excessive, should be stood down, or at the very least, removed from frontline duties.”
ENDS
