Given the fact it seems there are plenty of people in the world who don’t flinch at doing bad things to animals, I feel it’s our duty (we being those who love and respect animals) to call them out and fight against them where possible.
You may have seen or heard the story of the South Australian police officer who was filmed laughing as he stoned a wombat to death. Well, according to reports, authorities have said he won’t be charged for the crime.
Needless to say, there are people the world over furious. They rightly want him to face some action for what he did, and so are staging a protest.
Back in October, terrible footage surfaced showing Senior Constable Waylon Johncock running down a road topless, hurling large stones at a scared wombat.
The film was met with widespread dismay, but an internal investigation by the Department of Public Prosecutions ruled on Friday, December 6, that Johncock will not be charged.
Naturally, the backlash has been fierce. So far, two events have been created on Facebook calling for Johncock to face some form of justice. One is titled, ‘PROTEST FOR PROSECUTION’, the other: ‘Justice For Wombats. Protest Against Waylon Johncock Outcome.’
The groups have both received plenty of support, with people all over Australia offering to help by circulating the message and bombarding their local politicians with complaints.
One Aboriginal leader defended Johncock’s behavior, stating that throwing rocks at wombats is a method used to kill them when people hunt them for food.
Speaking to ABC, Wirangu-Kokatha Aboriginal elder Jack Johncock said: “It’s easy for people to sit back and judge people. This has been part of our culture and the way we’ve gone about it for thousands of years.
“For the people of the west coast of South Australia, the wombat is a big part of their diet and they’ll get wombat any way they can.”
Meanwhile, Ngarrindjeri elder Major Sumner told Mail Online that the officer’s methods were “wrong”.
I don’t see how in the modern world stoning a defenceless creature to death can be defended or deemed acceptable. Do you?
Share this article if you think Johncock should be facing at least some form of justice.
