KEMPSEY resident Paul Silva is hoping this Saturday's (June 6) Black and Indigenous Lives Matter rally in Sydney can bring solidarity to the Australian community following on from the current Black Lives Matter movement in America.
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On Tuesday (June 2), a peaceful protest was held in Martin Place, Sydney, in solidarity with US protestors mourning the death of George Floyd.
The protest also aimed to highlight the high rate of deaths of Indigenous Australians in custody.
"The masses of people on the streets in the United States calling for justice is amazing," Mr Silva said.
"That is the only force that can hold the police accountable, more people are starting to realise the injustices against black people and against First Nations people everywhere."
Amnesty International Australia says more than 400 Indigenous people have died in police custody since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody ended in 1991.
Saturday's protest is hoping to extend from Tuesday's action with a number of people expressing their interest in attending.
Mr Silva says his family is aiming to raise awareness around the treatment of Indigenous people and call for an investigation into the death of his uncle, David Dungay Jnr.
"We're marching and protesting to get the word out about the high rate of Aboriginal deaths in custody and the high rate of brutality against the First Nations people here in Australia," he said.
"We're hoping to call on Safe Work Australia to take on an investigation for industrial manslaughter against all involved in the death of David Dungay Jnr, we've requested it previously but they've replied that they won't undertake an investigation.
"Hopefully this rally can lobby towards that investigation occurring."
Dungay Jnr, was a Dunghutti man who died at Sydney's Long Bay jail on December 29, 2015 after he was forcibly removed from his cell.
The cell extraction was triggered by a packet of Tim Tams David was eating, with guards potentially worried about the complications they could cause for his diabetes.
In the ensuing extraction, Mr Dungay Jnr, who was being treated for schizophrenia, complained he couldn't breathe.
He was relocated to another cell equipped with CCTV and injected with a sedative.
He died shortly after.
"After my uncle's death, there was a coronial inquest," Mr Silva said.
"The coroner found there was no justification for the riot squad to rush my uncle's cell and as such he found that the use of force was a cause of death but there were no recommendations or referrals for charges to be laid, no consequences whatsoever."
The high numbers predicted for Saturday's rally have seen NSW Police today take legal action to stop the proposed Black Lives Matter protest after the Premier said it couldn't be held safely during the coronavirus crisis.
The Supreme Court challenge will be heard this afternoon with the police commissioner seeking an injunction on the grounds the rally would breach COVID-19 health orders.
Facebook page, Sniff Off, challenged the grounds of this court action after an anti-vaccination/5G/anti-lock-down rally was held in Sydney last week where several thousand were said to have attended.
Mr Silva has said his family will be attending regardless of the Supreme Court's decision.
"The decision wouldn't be cancelling the process it'd just be enforcing the COVID laws surrounding limits on how many people can gather at the one place at the same time," he explained.
"The people will still want to turn up and abide by the social-distancing laws.
"My whole family still have the intention of turning up to promote awareness and hold the responsible parties accountable for my uncle's death."
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