Indigenous teen traumatised by gunpoint arrest blunder
Keira Jenkins and Tess Ikonomou |
An Aboriginal teenager was treated “less than human” when he was pulled from a bus and arrested before police realised they had the wrong person, his family says.
The 17-year-old was on the way to visit family when police cars stopped the bus on November 12.
His family said ACT police racially profiled the boy, removing him from the bus with guns drawn and handcuffing him before comparing a photo on a phone and realising they had the wrong person.
“That is not policing, that is abuse, a clear example of police brutality and racial profiling at its finest,” his family said on Thursday morning.
“A child who had never committed a crime was treated like a criminal. He was treated like a threat and he was treated as less than human.”
Reading a statement to the media, the boy’s aunties Mikaila McEwan and Kristie Peters said it was a gross violation of the child’s human rights.
“The officers pointed a gun … dragged him out, slammed him onto the ground … causing him pain and difficulty breathing,” they said.
“Even after admitting they had the wrong boy, the officer still searched him.”
Police said they were responding to reports of a person with a knife at a shopping centre in Woden.
They received information a young person matching the offender’s description was on a bus.
Officers arrested the teen “for a short period” before realising they had the wrong person, police said.
“We acknowledge this would have been a very distressing incident for the young person and the other passengers on the bus and we apologise for this,” police said in a statement.
“Given police were responding to multiple eyewitness reports of an active armed offender in a heavily populated part of Canberra, officers acted with the immediate aim of preventing a worst-case scenario from occurring – further harm to members of the public.”
The family wants the officers involved stood down while an inquiry takes place.
They also want to see the body-worn camera footage of the incident, a formal acknowledgement of police racial profiling and an apology.
Police are considering access for family to view the footage, but confirmed the officers involved have not been stood down.
ACT Police Minister Marisa Paterson said she had offered to meet with the family, acknowledging their concerns about racial profiling.
“I express my sincere apologies to the young person and his family on behalf of the government,” she said.
“I will continue to offer support to the young person and their family.”
Ms Paterson said she had full confidence in ACT police and the territory government was working to build trust with community members who “feel vulnerable in their interactions with police”.
Indigenous community advocates labelled the incident outrageous and unacceptable.
“I’m appalled. It’s absolutely disgusting,” Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Services chief executive Julie Tongs said.
“If that had been a busload of black kids, would they have done what they did to the only white kid on that bus? I don’t think so.
“They need to take a long, serious look at themselves.”
Acting ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young Peoples commissioner Barbara Causon said the incident would have a ripple effect in the community, influencing the way young people saw police.
“I understand that police have a very important role to play in keeping our community safe, but this innocent young boy was not safe,” she said.
“He was hurt. He was traumatised. He was not safe.”
Police said they had met with the teenager and his family.
A complaint had been received and would be reviewed through the Australian Federal Police’s professional standards command.
AAP
