2005 Macquarie Fields riots

The Macquarie Fields riots were a series of disturbances across southwest Sydney in February 2005 which was referred to as a riot by both the Parliament of New South Wales and the media.

The riots were sparked after a high speed Police pursuit on February 25 throughout the Glenquarie housing estate in the Sydney western suburb of Macquarie Fields. The chase resulted in the driver, 20-year-old Jesse Kelly crashing the stolen vehicle into a tree and killing his two passengers, 17-year-old Dylan Raywood and 19-year-old Matthew Robertson. The trio had been under electronic surveillance for several days beforehand. Certain circumstances around the riots including the fatal police pursuit in a low-income area were a repeat of the riots that took place in Redfern, New South Wales during the previous year.

The double fatality sparked protests and accusations against the police by the suburbs predominantly white working class residents. They were told by Jessie Kelly's aunt Deborah that police rammed the car prior to the crash. Reluctant at first, Jesse eventually adopted the false story.

The response of the New South Wales state Labor government was Premier Bob Carr mobilising hundreds of police, including heavily-armed riot squads. The violence which followed lasted for four nights, involving at least 300 residents clashing with New South Wales Police. The rioters hurled rocks, bottles, bricks, petrol bombs, and set cars alight, injuring several police. By comparative standards, NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney referred to the riot as little more than a "disturbance" citing Los Angeles Police Department chief Bill Bratton who was visiting Australia at the time. Nine months later during a Parliamentary inquiry, Mr Moroney stated that the violence during the incident was not a riot when compared to incidents in Los Angeles or Paris, referring to the distinction between disturbance and riot as defined by New York police chief Bill Bratten.

The police were criticised at the time for not acting to quell the disturbances quickly enough, with some arguing the riots could have been ended in their first day had a more aggressive stance been adopted. The so-called 'soft' approach by police was put down to downsizing and a lack of training within the NSW Police Force that inhibited their ability to contain the ringleaders effectively. The police eventually made 55 arrests, including that of Jesse Kelly, who had fled the scene of the fatal car crash which preceded the riots.

The suburb of Macquarie Fields suffered from a high rate of unemployment rate of 11.3 percent, more than twice the National average. Of its 4,600 homes, 1,500 are housing commission projects and home to low-income and disadvantaged families. Criticisms have been made about this controversial cul de sac style urban planning that left many residents with very little privacy.

In October 2007, Jesse Kelly was formally charged after admitting two counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death and was sentenced to 5 years jail. In the same month a coronial inquiry officially cleared New South Wales Police of any responsibility for the riot. His aunt Deborah Kelly, who started the rumors that sparked the riots was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice and with concealing a serious indictable offense.

See also

• 2004 Redfern riots
• 2005 Cronulla riots
• 2004 Palm Island death in custody (riot)
• List of riots