An officer will face court after being accused of punching a former federal Greens candidate in the face at a protest, marking a major reversal from police.

Hannah Thomas suffered a serious eye injury that required surgery when she was arrested outside a Sydney firm during a protest over weapons being supplied to Israel.

The diminutive 35-year-old was initially charged with resisting police - a case since dropped by prosecutors - and her lawyers have flagged civil proceedings in the Supreme Court for "malicious prosecution" and assault and battery by police.

Police charged the arresting officer on Tuesday with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The 33-year-old senior constable is scheduled to front the Bankstown Local Court on November 18.

"As police attempted to move on some of

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