eureka

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The Eureka Story

" THE EUREKA FLAG "

' WHEN INJUSTICE BECOMES LAW --- RESISTANCE BECOMES DUTY '

The Eureka flag is believed to have been designed by a Canadian gold miner by the name of " Lieutenant " Ross during the Eureka Stockade uprising in Ballarat , Victoria - Australia in the year 1854.

The flag's five stars represent the Southern Cross and the white cross joining the stars represents unity in defiance. The blue background represents the shirt colours worn by the diggers ( miners ) rather than represent the sky as was originally thought.

The flag above , the Eureka Flag , is the design that was torn down by police constable John King on the morning of the digger's uprising --

Sunday Dec 3rd 1854.

The " Eureka Stockade " uprising was a revolt by gold miners ( diggers ) against petty officialdom and harassment by a corrupt police force , who would often ask miners to show there licences several times a day . The miners objected to holding licences and resented paying the exorbitant fees to hold same.

Led by an elected Sgt at Arms , Peter Lalor ( who later became a Federal Government minister ) , the Eureka revolt was a spectacular failure in a military sense. The revolt had it's roots in the killing of a miner , James Scobie .

An inquest was held and despite the evidence of miners , no conclusion was made about who had been responsible for Scobie's death ( by shooting ). Those miners who pressed for the arrest of the shooter were taken into custody .

Miners then took the law into their own hands . Revenge was taken and the shooter's home and other property was burned to the ground . The ' culprits ' were imprisoned by the police without trial and the situation in the gold fields became explosive . Unequal laws and unequal rights caused much discontent.

Peter Lalor lead the miners in war against the police and they built a stockade at the goldfields so as to defy the authorities .

The Eureka flag then appeared . ----- ( refer ' When injustice becomes ---- ' )

Many rebels along with many of the ' King's men ' were killed in the bloody battle to follow . Reinforced police numbers from far and wide eventually destroyed the stockade .

So is the story of the ' Eureka ' flag and it's cause.

In Australia today , the flag is worn by many of our bike fraternity signifying the same defiance against the injustices that prevail within the ' authority ' .

Shadow .

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