Rioters burn Palm Is police station

A riot has broken out in the Indigenous community on North Queensland’s Palm Island, after the release of an autopsy conducted on a man who died in police custody.

Authorities are trying to restore law and order on the island, and armed police are being sent from Townsville.

Up to 300 islanders have stormed the police station, setting fire to it with a petrol bomb. They also destroyed the police residence.

Fire officials trying to control the blaze have reportedly been threatened by locals, some of whom were carrying knives and other weapons. A fire truck has also been destroyed.

The anger stems from the release of autopsy results on Cameron Doomagee, who died in the watchhouse last Friday.

The autopsy shows that he had broken ribs and died from a punctured lung.

Island resident Nicky Bull says there is no sign of an end to the riot and many islanders are scared.

"Everybody’s down at the main oval outside of the police station," she said.

"There’s smoke everywhere, the police station’s just about burnt to the ground as it is as well as the residence where the police live.

"The atmosphere is just anger amongst the residents here but it’s very very freaky here at the moment because of a lot of those people are not used to seeing our people like this."

Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has called for calm.

"We’re really appealing for some common sense here, for Indigenous leaders to provide leadership and to allow the independent inquiry to do its work," he said.

"We need to work this through in a constructive and sensible way."

An Education Queensland spokeswoman says 22 teachers have been evacuated from the island.

The Palm Island Hospital is under lock down on police orders.

A Queensland Health spokesman says the department is working with police to ensure the safety of staff and patients.

Police have set up a major incident room in Townsville, and Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson is on his way.

He says the aim is to restore law and order.

"Our immediate goal is to get through this evening and to avoid any serious injury or loss of life," he said.

Up to 50 armed police have boarded three planes at Townsville airport, although it is understood that locals on Palm Island have blocked the airstrip with cars.

The police will join 14 extra officers, who were deployed on Monday after about 200 people stormed the police station.

Queensland Police Union spokesman Denis Fitzpatrick says extra officers will be required on the Island for some time.

"There will certainly have to be a very high police presence," he said.

"I’d also call for the people who’ve been involved in this riotous behaviour first of all to desist - this is achieving absolutely nothing - and I’d like to see the full front of the law delivered to those persons."

http://www.abc.net.au/northqld/news/200411/s1252473.htm