Victoria Police will be 'designating' the area around Broadmeadows Station, Broadmeadows shopping centre and surrounding streets on Tuesday 27 September between 1pm and 7pm. This strips people of basic civil liberties and gives police the power to stop and search anyone in the area without any cause/suspicion to have committed a crime. Victorian Socialists condemn this abuse of police powers and will be holding an information stall in the area to let residents know their rights if they are stopped and searched.
On Tuesday 27 September, Broadmeadows Station, Broadmeadows shopping centre and surrounding streets will be labelled a designated zone by Victoria Police and a stop and search operation will take place.
The Northern suburbs need more social services, health services, community programs and public housing - not harassment and intimidation from police, which research show does nothing to reduce crime. Victorian Socialists will fight to reverse all funding increases to Victorian Police over the last decade and develop a plan to progressively defund the police.
People have the right to walk around Broadmeadows without being delayed, humiliated and even strip searched! We have jobs to get to, children and elderly family to care for and everyday activities to carry out. These "stop and search" police operations have in the past upset the community.
Police typically target working class and migrant youth. Research has found that young men of African descent were ten per cent more likely to be stopped and searched by police. Police routinely abuse their powers to target racialized communities.
Know your rights! If you are subject to a search, you can:
Tuesday, 27 September
4:45 pm
Broadmeadows Station, Broadmeadows