Monday 12th January 2004,
Dear Ms. Christine NIXON, Chief Police Commissioner / Victoria.
I had the pleasure of being a guest of Mr. Graeme Dunstan, the Convenor of the Eureka Dawn Walk, on Sunday the 7th December at the Eureka lunch at which you were the guest speaker. I've had a long standing interest in Eureka and am the Convenor of Reclaim the Radical Spirit of the Eureka Rebellion celebrations that are held in Ballarat on the anniversary of the Eureka rebellion the 3rd of December.
I was surprised considering the history of the Eureka massacre that the Victorian Chief Police Commissioner had been invited as the guest speaker at the 149th Eureka anniversary lunch. I listened intently to your address hoping that you would be apologising on behalf of the Victorian Police Force for what can only be described as the Victorian Police Force's darkest hour.
At the end of your address, Mr Dunstan was so upset that you had not brought up the issue of an apology, he cried out to you to apologise. I understand Mr. Dunstan approached you about the matter of an apology after the lunch and you courteously heard him out. I know the Eureka rebellion happened nearly 150 years ago but as you stated in your speech, the relationship between a police force and the people they serve, is an exceptionally important one. A police force cannot carry out its duties without a close relationship with the people.
The rancour that was created by the Victorian police's participation in what has been described by various historians as a massacre of Eureka miners on the 3rd December 1854, created the climate that helped the Ned Kelly gang to flourish in the 1880's.
Accordingly both conservative and radical historians a well as the newspapers of the day, clearly state that most of the miners, as well as a number of onlookers who were not involved in the fighting, were massacred in an orgy of indiscriminate looting, arson and murder that was carried out by ill disciplined mounted and foot police up to two hours after the miners had surrendered. The 3rd December 2004 marks the 150th anniversary of the Eureka rebellion.
All eyes will be on Ballarat when the 150th celebrations get underway. It would be appropriate that the Victorian Police Force pulled the shutters down on this sorry chapter of their history and apologised for the behaviour of the Victorian Police Force 150 years ago. An apology would help to improve the Victorian Police Force's image in 2004. It would also allow them to fully participate in the 150th anniversary celebrations. As no police were killed in the Eureka rebellion, it should make it much easier for today's police force to consider issuing an apology for the atrocious behaviour of the newly formed Victorian Police force on he Eureka battlefield on Sunday the 3d December 1854.
Dr. Joseph TOSCANO
Spokesperson Anarchist Media Institute / Reclaim the Radical Spirit of the Eureka Rebellion.