A man has been shot with a crossbow during unrest in a remote aboriginal community in the Northern Territory where a 60-person riot erupted on the eve of an anti-violence march in early December.
The Northern Territory Police Force received multiple reports that up to 15 people were fighting in Wadeye at 4.15am in Wednesday, in a dispute believed to be linked to a fight involving about 100 people, some armed with edged weapons, that broke out on Monday morning.
A 34-year-old man later turned up at the Wadeye Community Health Centre with a crossbow bolt lodged in his arm, and was flown to Darwin for treatment.
Two women were injured in the Monday brawl, and one was conveyed to Royal Darwin Hospital via CareFlight for treatment.
Police seized two “edged weapons” and a window louvre.
Acting Senior Sergeant Jimmy Yengayenga said: “We are working closely with Community Elders, Traditional Owners and other relevant stakeholders to restore calm and community safety.”
The clashes came less than a month after 60 people rioted in the community’s main street, throwing projectiles at each other and at police the night before a No More march against domestic, family and sexual violence.
Wadeye, one of the largest aboriginal communities in the NT and home to more than 2,000 members of more than a dozen clans, is currently considering reintroducing liquor sales after 30 years as a dry community in an attempt to combat the problem of black market alcohol.
Before the December riot police in the region stopped four “grog-runner” vehicles and seized 160 bottles of alcohol, which have an estimated resale value of $800 each.
Wadeye is the third remote indigenous community to be rocked by community unrest in the last two weeks.
Hundreds of aboriginals fought running battles in Maningrida in Arnhem Land between January 1 and January 4, and in nearby Ramingining up to 40 people fought with blunt and edged weapons, including spears, just before Christmas.
Header image: Black market alcohol seized by Wadeye region police last month (NT Police).
