A New South Wales Councillor says police deserve more respect and should be given an apology for their treatment during recent Black Lives Matter protests.
Greg Watson will table a motion at the next meeting of Shoalhaven Council on the state's south coast, urging his colleagues to recognise the "insults" and "abuse" inflicted on police by demonstrators.
He said the global Black Lives Matter movement, triggered by the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers in the United States, had nothing to do with Australians or the domestic police force.
"I think the police deserve a little bit of respect — how do you think they feel? How do you think their families feel?" Councillor Watson said.
"The abuse of police in my view has been over the top, unacceptable and not the sort of behaviour you'd expect in a civilised community.
"I don't think it's right to export to Australia a tragic issue which occurred in the United States — they don't relate."
Racism 'thrown around'
Many of the demonstrations in Australian capital cities have been used to raise awareness about Indigenous deaths in custody.
But Mr Watson said those statistics have been misrepresented by protestors.
The councillor, who has previously apologised for his involvement following the burning of an Aboriginal Flag in 1982, said racism barely exists in Australia.
"I believe it's a very easily thrown around word and I don't believe that the average Aussie, these days, has a racial bone in their body," he said.
"I don't believe it deserves the promotion that it's getting at the moment.
"I don't think we should be thrashing ourselves all the time over what was done in the past."
'Misses the mark'
Shoalhaven Greens councillor Nina Digiglio said she would not vote in favour of the motion.
"I have a great deal of respect for the police but I think the motion misses the mark, totally, the timing is off," she said.
"I think it's really important that there's respect that's encompassed in our community, both police and citizens, but I don't understand why you would put a motion like this up and antagonise the whole situation.
"I'm for people having their voice and I'm really proud of our Indigenous people standing up for themselves because, for so long, they've taken a lot of abuse," Councillor Digiglio said.
South Coast Police Commander Superintendent Greg Moore said he had been impressed by the positive behaviour of protestors.
"It's really been refreshing to see that that relationship with police and the protestors has been very positive and we haven't experienced that sort of pushback," Superintendent Moore said.
"So that's a good thing and I think that comes on the back of the good relationships police have been investing in over the years.
"That good relationship is coming home to roost now in times when there is a little bit of stress and pressure."
