A police officer has been charged with assaulting Hannah Thomas, a former Greens candidate who was allegedly punched in the face at a peaceful protest outside SEC Plating in Belmore in June. Around 60 people participated before the peaceful protest was disrupted. The police officer allegedly involved, a 33-year-old senior constable from south west Sydney, has been issued a court attendance notice for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. (Image: Getty)“This demonisation of peaceful protest is reckless political behaviour and it leads to innocent people of good conscience getting hurt. Lead image: Instagram / Hannah Thomas