Riots in Australia After Aboriginal Girl Killed, Suspect Arrested
Al Jazeera Staff
Hundreds of protesters clashed with emergency services in Alice Springs, Australia, after police arrested a suspect in the murder of a 5-year-old Aboriginal girl, Kumanjayi Little Baby. The suspect, Jefferson Lewis, was beaten by locals before being taken to hospital. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and authorities appealed for calm.
Hundreds of protesters clashed with emergency services in a remote Australian town after police arrested a man suspected of murdering a 5-year-old Aboriginal girl.
Police said around 400 people gathered at Alice Springs Hospital in the Northern Territory, where the suspect was taken on May 2 after being beaten unconscious by local residents.
National broadcaster ABC aired footage of the crowd chanting for "payback," a term for traditional punishment often involving physical force in Aboriginal society. They threw hard objects and set fires, injuring several police and medical staff. Police cars, ambulances and fire trucks were damaged in the chaos. Officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said the violence erupted after Jefferson Lewis, 47, whom police believe abducted and killed the girl named Kumanjayi Little Baby, surrendered at a camp in Alice Springs. "As a result, members of that camp decided to take vigilante justice against Jefferson," he said.
The girl had been missing since Saturday evening from her home in an Alice Springs suburb. Her body was found on Thursday during a search involving hundreds of people in the dense scrubland around the town, a popular tourist destination.
Lewis, identified by police as a suspect early in the week, had a criminal record for assault and had recently been released from prison. Commissioner Dole appealed for calm: "I just ask the community to remain calm... Hopefully what we saw last night was an aberration." The suspect was transferred to the capital Darwin early in the morning for his safety and is expected to be charged in the coming days.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he understood "the anger and frustration of the community" but called for unity. Robin Granites, an Aboriginal elder and spokesperson for the victim's family, also urged restraint: "This man has been caught through community action, and now we must let justice take its course while we take time to mourn Kumanjayi Little Baby and support the family. Now is not the time to be social media heroes or to cause trouble."
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro announced a one-day ban on takeaway alcohol sales and additional police officers from Darwin to prevent escalation. Alcohol restrictions had already been enforced in the town on certain days of the week to reduce crime.
