Facebook death threats allegedly at centre of race tensions in Kalgoorlie
A police officer has been injured and windows smashed in the Australian town of Kalgoorlie Tuesday, during a protest over the death of a 14-year-old Indigenous boy Elijah Doughty.
A 55-year-old man was due to appear in court on manslaughter charges on Tuesday over the boy's death.
Some local people have claimed multiple death threats have been made towards Aboriginal kids in the town via Facebook prior to Doughty's death and believe it may be a race-related incident. Police have not currently confirmed they are investigating a link to Facebook or that it is a racially-motivated crime.
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Riots follow the death of teenager
According to reports, a police officer has been hit in the head with a bottle outside the courthouse and Kalgoorlie’s main street has been shut down, with dogs and riot police on the scene earlier Tuesday.
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ABC's John Wibberley said multiple locals have been arrested and "the mantra or cry coming from people here is 'justice' and 'we want justice now.'" Reinforcements have also reportedly been called by police, as protesters tried to enter the courtroom.
"They've just forced their way actually through courthouse security and there is an enormous police presence here now, and again, very unsettling, very upset and angry people, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal," he said.
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Police have alleged the man, who has been charged with the manslaughter, collided with the 14-year-old boy while driving a truck on Monday morning local time. The boy was driving a stolen motorbike "subject to a stolen vehicle report," lodged with police on Sunday. Police confirmed in a statement posted online the truck is linked to the owner of the motorbike.
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Facebook groups cause concern in the town
Two closed Facebook groups are allegedly at the centre of a series of death threats levelled at the Indigenous community of Kalgoorlie recently, and residents of the area are deeply concerned they're being targeted by hate groups.
Two young Aboriginal boys from Kalgoorlie have been hospitalised recently, a community source told Mashable, and now, a third has died. Locals residents are demanding police take action to investigate the validity of claims the incidents are race-based.
A spokesperson for the longstanding protest group, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, wrote on Facebook that the authorities have not tried to help with the escalation of violence among the youth in Kalgoorlie.
"The response has been nothing but sitting back and letting crimes escalate with ongoing encouragement for punishment to be dished out not according to judicial law procedures but at people’s own discretion.
"The target for punishment is black kids. The blame for crimes is black kids. The problems in society are blamed on black kids.”
Local authorities have issued a statement saying the trial has been postponed and an inquiry into the disturbance will be held. Acting police commander Darryl Gaunt told the ABC: "There is nothing to suggest at all that it's a racist issue. It's the death of a child who happens to be Aboriginal."
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Earlier this year, the mayor of Kalgoorlie made headlines by calling for a return to corporal punishment for juvenile offenders, and pledged to pursue the cause with the Western Australia government.
Tributes are being shared on Facebook for 14-year-old Doughty.
UPDATE: Aug. 31, 2016, 10:44 a.m. AEST Link to police statement, confirming the motorcycle was reported stolen.
Topics Activism Racial Justice
Jerico Mandybur is the editor of Mashable Australia. Previously, she worked as a digital editor at SBS, Oyster Mag, MTV and ASOS. Tweet her at @jerico_m.
