A 24-year-old Aboriginal man from the Yuendumu community has died after being restrained by police at a Coles supermarket in Alice Springs, Australia. The man, who reportedly had a mental disability and was under a guardianship order, stopped breathing shortly after an altercation with police, following an alleged assault on a security guard who accused him of shoplifting.
The incident is being investigated as a death in custody by Northern Territory (NT) police, but calls for an independent inquiry have been rejected, sparking outrage and grief across the community.
On Friday, emotional scenes unfolded in Alice Springs CBD as family members, Warlpiri elders, and supporters gathered for a vigil outside the very supermarket where the tragedy occurred. The young man’s grandfather, Yuendumu elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, addressed the crowd, stating firmly, “We want justice.”
Elders led a peaceful procession through the supermarket, carrying ceremonial branches in a powerful display of cultural mourning and protest. The gathering not only honored the young man's life but also called attention to the broader issue of Indigenous deaths in custody—an ongoing crisis in Australia.
The community continues to demand transparency, accountability, and justice in the face of yet another devastating loss
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