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Stormin’ Norman
By Steven | June 21, 2010
So police have investigated the incident in which Greens leader Russel Norman claimed to have been assaulted by members of the Chinese delegation who wrenched a Tibetan flag from his grasp on the grounds of Parliament… and concluded that there is “insufficient evidence to substantiate any assault charges at this time”.
Police say the “available footage” and information from “a number of people who witnessed the incident” was not enough to support a finding of assault. That’s surprising, given the phalanx of journalists and hangers-on who were around. But let’s assume it’s right.
Still: why was the word of an MP not enough to substantiate an assault charge? (The only possibility that doesn’t leave me gob-smacked is that it’s hard to work out precisely who committed the assault. In that case: what steps have police taken to try to ascertain the identity of the alleged assaulter?)
[Update: Colin Espiner has watched footage and seems to doubt there has been any assault. I haven’t seen the footage. But I think it would be difficult to rip a flag from someone without committing a (technical, at least) assault.]
Also: why is the PM apologising to the Chinese when they appear to have committed a contempt of Parliament?
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