A MAN IS suing the policewoman who was riding a horse that dribbled on him at a protest in Victoria, Australia.
Protester Alexander Forbes was taking part in a demonstration at Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centre in May 2011 when he had a run-in with the horse.
According to the Herald Sun, Forbes claims that he was “salivated” on by the horse which dampened his clothes and caused distress to him when two people pointed it out.
To add insult to injury, the horse stepped on his toes as well, causing them to swell and required a hospital visit.
Forbes is suing leading senior constable Michelle Turner who was riding the horse at the time of the incident, as well as the state of Victoria. It’s worth mentioning that his legal services are tax-funded.
Assistant secretary of the Police Association Bruce McKenzie, told the Herald Sun that it was a disgrace to use funds on such trivialities.
Taxpayers’ money being used for the purpose of taking action against one of our members who was doing no more or no less than their job is outrageous. We are disgusted by it and Victorian taxpayers should be outraged that their money is being used to fund these types of actions.
McKenzie told ABC that it was their understanding that the horse was provoked:
There is evidence that in this case, the police horse was put at risk of injury
However, the chief executive of the legal centre Anthony Kelly said that horses shouldn’t be used at protests like this at all and that this case is legit.
They’re being used as weapons of war. The officers on top of the horses can’t use batons safely, they can’t use tasers or anything else safely. It’s very easy to trivialise these sort of things but one received a broken clavicle.
Forbes has filed a writ at the County Court of Victoria through the Fleming and Kensington Community Legal Centre.
