Kids not an Anglo, so is he an aborigine, asian/Idian/African immigrant or perhaps an Arab/Muslim? What is the nature of the neighberhoods where the riots took place? Why would a particular community react this way? Has there been a "long history" of cops killing members of one community or another? Also, this picture makes him look about 12. Is he really that age?

This story has been "sanitized" to be politically correct, but doing that makes it much less informative;

Now, this is a much better version of the story with context (though I don't think it's all that politically incorrect in any way... but that's just me):

Teenager's death triggers fiery Aboriginal rampage

By Tim Dick , Jennifer Cooke and Alexandra Smith
February 16, 2004

Fury and tragedy...Redfern station burns during the height of the confrontation between local Aboriginal people and police following the death of Thomas Hickey, right. Main photo: Edwina Pickles

Teenager's death triggers fiery Aboriginal rampage
By Tim Dick , Jennifer Cooke and Alexandra Smith
February 16, 2004

Redfern railway station was set ablaze, windows were smashed and at least one police officer was taken to hospital as Aborigines went on a rampage last night in a furious response to the death of a teenage boy.

Trains were ordered not to stop at the station from about 9.30 as Aborigines began gathering and fire crews and police reinforcements were called in.

Up to 60 police officers in riot gear, seven fire engines, 15 police cars and two ambulances converged on the Lawson Street block from Regent Street to Abercrombie Street.

The death of 17-year-old Thomas Hickey on Saturday was the trigger that reignited simmering Aboriginal anger over policing in the area.

Thomas, TJ to those who knew him, died in hospital early yesterday morning from neck and chest injuries after being impaled on a fence while cycling home on Phillip Street. His family claims he was being chased by police when the accident happened, a charge the police reject.

As police moved in last night the rioters torched the entrance of the station using a liquid accelerant splashed from a bottle. Sticks wrapped with burning material were used to set alight furniture in the street.

Flames billowed from the station entrance as police in riot gear advanced three-deep towards a man at the top of Eveleigh Street. At least one police officer was carried to an ambulance.

Bottles were hurled at the station wall, leaving a thick carpet of broken glass along the footpath. Rioters stole a baton from a police car and used it to smash all the windows on the Lawson Street side of the station as well as several police windscreens.

Locals described the riot as the biggest they had seen in years. Alastair Cameron, an events manager of Little Eveleigh Street, said the rioters had been throwing bottles and bricks at the station and onto its roof from about 7pm. At one stage they had set fire to plastic street barriers and a car driven into the barriers was left to burn.

Late last night one person had been arrested and all available police from the inner metropolitan commands were sent to Redfern. About 11.30 a line of police officers in riot gear faced about 50 Aborigines.

Thomas's aunt, Virginia, said: "If you're black and see a police car, you just run." She believes police were chasing him as he rode back to her home, where he lived, about 11.15am on Saturday after visiting his mother.

Thomas's mother, Gail, said witnesses had told her that police were chasing him before the accident, and that officers had pulled him off the fence and searched his pockets before he was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital.

A warrant is believed to have been issued for the teenager's arrest. However, Inspector Bob Emery insists that at the time Thomas was not "a person of interest" to police, who were "blocks away" when he lost control of the bicycle.

Inspector Emery said a member of the public had flagged down passing police and told them where they were needed.

A spokesman for the mourning family, Lyall Munro, said "as far as we're concerned, it's an Aboriginal death in custody", because the family said Thomas had died while being chased by police.

Inspector Emery appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Earlier yesterday flyers were handed out with a picture of police and reading: "Wanted: child murderers. There is a gang of child killers operating in the Redfern area. They can be easily identified as they all dress the same."

This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/02/15/1076779843405.html

So they were Abos.

Thanks for the article. It makes sense that the kid was probably aborigine, esp. with his name. Apparently Redfern community is home to the indigenous.

"Kids not an Anglo, so is he an aborigine, asian/Idian/African immigrant or perhaps an Arab/Muslim? What is the nature of the neighberhoods where the riots took place? Why would a particular community react this way? Has there been a "long history" of cops killing members of one community or another? Also, this picture makes him look about 12. Is he really that age?"

Some background. The area is predominantly Aboriginal. The nature of the area is poor, run-down government housing and it has a history of being not the sort of place you go if you're white. The community reacted this way because of what they perceive as "police persecution" - in a similar way as African Americans complain about the same thing. However, this level of violence does not happen regularly.

And yes the kid was seventeen. He was described by many, including his mother, as "small for his age" - read, probably undernourished, perhaps his mother drank or smoked or took other drugs whilst pregnant.

Thanks for the Sydney Morning Herald article, by the way. I've had my hands full responding to posts on this (guess I won't get any sleep at all this morning... oh well!)

Thomas's aunt, Virginia, said: "If you're black and see a police car, you just run."

And by doing so, you bring attention to yourself, and the police are probably going to chase after you to determine why you ran at the sight of the police.