Police presence during the protests. Credit:Billy Amesz These included lawyers, law students and civil society representatives, identified in high-vis vests during the protest and trained in civil and political rights, including the right to protest. They collected video and written witness statements and notes as well as witness statements gathered after incidents that occurred prior to the commencement of organised legal observation. They have also tracked and monitored arrests and sourced video from various witnesses, some of which they will reveal to the public for the first time on Thursday. "There were documented incidents of excessive force, use of force where none is needed, using more force than was needed, using force or a greater level of force after the necessity for it has ended, use of handcuffs where circumstances did not require them, use of unmuzzled dogs, use of and threats to use pepper spray, threats to use tasers and assaults during arrest and while in custody," the report said.

The report contains a detailed timeline of events and detailed lists of incidents. It said these practices escalated and that progressively, space to express political dissent and freedom to assemble was constricted. It said specific issues included "over policing" including the use of riot police, horse-mounted police in confined spaces and large numbers of deployed police officers. "Most days the police force numbers were up to 100 officers, and there were estimates of more than 120 police officers on occasion," it said. "On a number of days, they significantly outnumbered protesters. As well as regular police, there was also the Regional Operations Group, which provides WAPOL "with a specialist public order capability". The mounted police unit was also deployed, as were specialist teams for the removal of equipment from machines. Undercover detectives and intelligence gathering officers were also evident."

The policing presence cost taxpayers $1.5 million. The report said police were not honest with protesters or legal observers about procedures, rights and police responsibilities and at times hid or covered their names and restricted legal observers' access to arrested activists. "A community survey has further shown deep levels of distress and mistrust related to the policing of the Beeliar protests, and we believe these findings will need to be addressed for police to regain the trust of the community in the Coolbellup, Fremantle and extended regions," the report says. "The extent and the seriousness of this series of reported experiences are symptomatic of a widespread problem with policing of community protest in Western Australia. "While this report highlights a range of incidents that need to be reviewed, this must be viewed in a broader political/legal context. The overall culture of policing that allows, and can implicitly support, these behaviours is the greater issue.

"An entire community with mainstream and widely held concerns was essentially criminalised, and treated as hostile, whilst a heavy police presence, dogs and razor wire guarded the machines." The report makes recommendations including that an independent inquiry be established; for an independent police complaints mechanism instead of "police investigating police"; that police wear badges, and must identify themselves upon request; that there be an investigation into why dogs were not muzzled, and into the deployment of dogs during non-violent crowd control; that tasers not be used or threatened in community protest situations; and that police be trained in non-violent, de-escalation techniques. It also calls for police who pepper-sprayed locals to be sanctioned. "Ultimately at stake is the civilian right to protest," the report says. "Numerous interventions were attempted over many years, from wide scale public awareness raising, petitions, marches, rallies and concerts, to significant legal challenges proceeding through Supreme Court (Court of Appeal) and Federal Court, a Senate inquiry, and attempts to raise heritage and Aboriginal site concerns at State and Federal levels.

"All other avenues of response thus being exhausted, and in the context of the current legislation and government policy failing to address environmental and cultural concerns, the local community were left with no other option than non-violent protest in an attempt to delay the destruction until the 2017 state election." The report says the people attending the protest were genuinely diverse, from across the metropolitan area, and involved people from many professions, including academics, accountants, tradespeople, doctors, lawyers, as well as diverse age demographics, and many local families, but were regularly misrepresented in the mainstream media by the former Liberal government. "This is consistent with patterns of vilification of Human Rights Defenders noted by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights Defenders, who, in a visit to Australia last year, "...called on government officials and politicians to refrain from calling environmentalists "eco-criminals, traitors and green radicals"," the report said. A WA Police spokesman said Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan had confirmed there would be no new investigation into this operation. "There are no fresh complaints lodged with the WA Police. Complaints that were made at the time were investigated and found to be not sustained with one matter still under review," he said.

"The Corruption and Crime Commission has oversight of our complaints process so the Commissioner has no concerns that there are any outstanding matters. "As you may be aware, the WA Police conducted a protracted operation to maintain public order at the site and while thousands of demonstrators protested peaceably, others engaged in acts of violence and disorder. "There were 223 people charged by Police during the operation. At this time, 192 have pleaded guilty or have been found guilty following a trial. There are just 25 arrest matters and five summons matters yet to be finalised. One person has failed to appear in Court and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. "WA Police has not released the final cost of the operation." Follow WAtoday on Twitter