Photo: Part of the 5 kilometre, 2.8-metre `security’ fence in Darling Harbour in Sydney, erected for APEC. Photo: AP
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Sydney’s Water Cannon
NSW Premier, Morris Iemma, announced that the State Government has bought a $600,000 water cannon for the riot squad in time for APEC. The Premier admitted the cannon could cause "serious injury". The black truck with a fire hose on top eventually managed to knock over 120-kilogram pylons when demonstrated for the television cameras.
One group who will not be knocked off their feet by the device during protests will be unionists. The NSW Police Association has done a deal with the Government, its acting secretary, Greg Black, confirmed yesterday, that the cannon would not be turned on striking protesters on picket lines.
The outgoing Police Commissioner, Ken Moroney, said in 2005 after the Macquarie Fields riots that if NSW police looked at water cannons, it would show authorities had "lost the plot’.
The NSW Greens MP John Kaye said yesterday that demonstrating the device could act as a needless provocation to APEC protesters, which could increase the risk of violence during the summit.