Mabo/...we're not to serve black people here..., 1996

...we're not to serve black people here...

'He was working down at the Harbour Board, and every Friday afternoon they would all go to the Crown Hotel to have a drink. So when this fella got up to get the beers for them, the publican told the barmaid not to serve Koiki. So they gave the fella who came up to get the beers one less beer than he ordered. And when that fella said, "I want one more beer for Koiki!", they said, "No, we're not to serve black people here." So with that, Koiki went and broke a piece of cardboard from a box and wrote, "I'm Not Going To Move Until I Get A Beer" and sat there - he wouldn't move. All the other wharfies just left, but he just sat there. And when the police come they ended up taking him to gaol, to the watch house. After that they used to watch him like a hawk.'

Keywords: racism, Townsville, 1996