Home > Talks start on a calmer Palm Island
Demos-Actions Police - Repression International
Police and community leaders were holding talks following a riot by residents angered over a death in custody on Palm Island, off the north Queensland coast.
After a quiet night on Palm Island, police were hopeful for an end to the emergency situation declared on Friday when angry residents set fire to the police station, courthouse, a police officer’s house and a stolen police car.
Police said about 80 officers had been flown in from nearby Townsville, Cairns and Brisbane and had control of the island’s airport, school and hospital.
There had been no reports of injuries or damage to property overnight.
Up to 300 members of the Aboriginal community rioted on Friday over the death in custody of 36-year-old local man Cameron Doomadgee last Friday.
A post-mortem examination revealed he had four broken ribs, a ruptured liver and a ruptured portal vein.
However, Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said autopsy results were consistent with police accounts of the event.
"The police version is that after the deceased person was arrested and they got back to the police station, as he exited from the police vehicle, he punched the police officer in the head, there was a scuffle between the two, and they fell to the ground on some concrete steps", Mr Atkinson told ABC radio.
Aboriginal leader Sam Watson said the Palm Island community must be consulted and involved in any police investigation to find out exactly what happened while Mr Doomadgee was in custody.
"If criminal charges can be supported then the people responsible must be charged, same as any other member of the community," he told ABC radio.
"Queensland Police ... do not have an open licence to terrorise, bash and murder Aboriginal people."
Mr Doomagee’s cousin, Murrandoo Doomagee, told ABC’s Lateline the riots were a last resort.
"We’ve had enough mate, this is ridiculous," he said.
"If the system works we’ll respect it. The system not only is not working for us, it has never ever worked for us or delivered justice.
"What is going on on Palm Island is a genuine reflection of how all Aboriginal people are feeling at this stage across Aboriginal Australia."
All but one of the police officers living on the island had been evacuated, along with half the police who were flown to the island earlier this week.
Some Palm Island locals are concerned they could lose teaching and medical staff as a result of the riots.
Resident Nikki Bull told the ABC the experience may frighten away non-indigenous support workers.
"At this particular point in time who could really blame them if they want to get off the island as soon as possible," she said.
"There’s a great lot of fear here and not only with non-indigenous staff but with some indigenous people here as well.
"They just feel that there are other ways to handle a situation like this."
Police union acting president Dennis Fitzpatrick said tensions had eased since extra police had arrived on the island.
"The only ones I have spoken to have no concerns at all for their safety. They’ve not seen any riotous behaviour or been put in any confrontational situations since they arrived there late yesterday," he told ABC radio.
"They said there’s a relative calm around the island and most of the islanders are accepting that the people put before the courts will be dealt with according to the law." (AAP)