The Guardian 9 April, 2008
Union banner back in safe hands
Last year during the Sydney APEC rally NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union members were approached by police who then proceeded to confiscate the union’s banner and a number of flags. When the police were later contacted to retrieve the missing property officials were told that the flags and banner could not be located.
The Union’s hopes of seeing the banner and flags again were further diminished after correspondence with the NSW Police Department. Its letter dated 25 January 2008 explained that "once confiscated, it would appear that the property was placed on a police bus for safe keeping. The movement of the property after that time, however, is not able to be determined; such that we are unable now to locate the property".
The letter went on to say that "there are no further avenues of inquiry that would allow the specified property to be located". However, after "inquiries" by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Police Minister, Mr David Campbell, directly intervened indicated that banner and flags had been located and would be returned.
Last week the union’s banner and flags were returned to the office, albeit in need of a clean, and will proudly be on display at this year’s May Day Rally on Sunday May 4.