Hundreds of protesters and emergency services clashed in a remote Northern Territory town overnight following the arrest of a man suspected of abducting and murdering a five-year-old Indigenous girl, police confirmed on Friday.
The suspect, 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis, was subjected to vigilante violence before authorities could apprehend him. Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said Lewis was found by residents and beaten unconscious late on Thursday night.
"He presented himself to one of the town camps in Alice Springs last night. As a result of presenting himself, members of that town camp decided to inflict vigilante justice upon Jefferson," Commissioner Dole said at a Friday morning news conference.
The victim, a five-year-old girl now referred to by her family as Kumanjayi Little Baby in line with Indigenous cultural customs surrounding the deceased, went missing from her home on the outskirts of Alice Springs late on Saturday.
After a large-scale community search, her body was found on Thursday afternoon by a volunteer in bushland near the town, a key gateway for tourists visiting the Australian outback.
Police had identified Lewis as the main suspect earlier in the week. Authorities confirmed he has previous convictions for serious assault and had recently been released from prison, fuelling anger over the justice and parole systems.
Tensions escalated on Thursday evening as news spread of the suspect’s capture and hospitalisation.
An estimated 400 people gathered outside Alice Springs Hospital, where Lewis was being treated for his injuries. Commissioner Dole told public broadcaster ABC that the crowd attempted to force entry into the facility.
Footage broadcast by ABC showed groups of Indigenous people calling for “payback” - a term referring to traditional forms of punishment within Aboriginal communities.
Police deployed tear gas to prevent the crowd from entering the hospital. The move intensified the confrontation, with some protesters throwing projectiles and lighting fires in the street.
Several police officers and medical staff were injured, and emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire trucks, were damaged.
"There is absolutely no excuse for violence against emergency services that are just doing their job," Dole said. "I just call for calm across the community today ... I'd like to think that what we saw last night is an aberration."
Due to concerns for his safety, Lewis was transferred from the hospital and flown to Darwin in the early hours of Friday.
The violence has drawn national attention. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he understood "people's anger and frustration" but urged the community to remain peaceful.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro announced a one-day ban on takeaway alcohol sales and confirmed additional police would be deployed from Darwin.
Alcohol restrictions are already in place in Alice Springs on certain days as part of efforts to reduce domestic violence and crime.
However, the incident highlights deeper, long-standing issues. Australia has struggled to address inequalities affecting its First Nations people, who have lived on the continent for around 50,000 years but were dispossessed and marginalised following British colonisation.
Indigenous Australians make up about 3.8% of the population. They face significantly poorer outcomes in health, education and employment, and higher rates of suicide, chronic illness and incarceration.
Many Indigenous families, including the victim’s, live in “town camps” on the outskirts of Alice Springs. These communities often experience overcrowding, poor housing and limited access to essential services.
For some residents, concerns over police response times and the release of violent offenders have reinforced a belief that Indigenous lives are not valued equally - a sentiment that contributed to the unrest outside the hospital.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likel...
Iran has released the first images of the casket of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ahead of his funeral scheduled for the 4th - 9th July, as au...
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday (3 July) that the European Union should take into account allegations of Ukrainian involvement in the 2...
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the gove...
Alexandru Munteanu announced his resignation on Friday (3 July) in a surprise move that automatically triggers the fall of Moldova’s government....
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has raised its forecast for the rapid emergence of a strong El Niño, warning the climate pattern is likely to drive higher global temperatures and intensify extreme weather in the months ahead.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday (3 July) that the European Union should take into account allegations of Ukrainian involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage when considering Kyiv’s bid for membership.
India is investigating a data breach at Tata Electronics that exposed sensitive documents linked to Apple's unreleased iPhone 18 Pro, marking the government's first public comments on the incident.
Alexandru Munteanu announced his resignation on Friday (3 July) in a surprise move that automatically triggers the fall of Moldova’s government.
A Russian couple climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and unfurled a banner urging world peace before, in an apparent elaborate marriage proposal that ended with their arrests.
Iranian and U.S. negotiating teams were due in Doha this week, but Iran said on Monday no meeting had been scheduled as weekend missile fire from both sides tested the interim ceasefire to end the four-month-old war.
Iran and the U.S. have concluded indirect talks in Doha without a major breakthrough, with discussions focused on maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and frozen Iranian funds. Both sides are expected to meet again after the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran mediated by Qatar in Doha have concluded, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, Kazem Gharibabadi has said.
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck ploughed into a religious procession in north-eastern Thailand, police said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday (3 July) that the European Union should take into account allegations of Ukrainian involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage when considering Kyiv’s bid for membership.
Alexandru Munteanu announced his resignation on Friday (3 July) in a surprise move that automatically triggers the fall of Moldova’s government.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for the 3rd of July, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Monaco authorities have issued an arrest warrant and Interpol red notice for a suspect in a parcel bomb attack that injured three people, including Ukrainian-born businessman Vadym Yermolaiev, after CCTV showed the suspect placing a package before it exploded Monday evening.
Mali has established a new state entity to oversee and regulate its rapidly growing artisanal gold sector, as authorities seek to curb smuggling and close significant gaps between officially recorded exports and the volumes reported by importing countries.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment