Three seperate attacks described as "white against black" by Sgt Lade, occurred on Tuesday night.

At least seven homeless Aboriginal people were injured in the attacks.

Most of the people were asleep or intoxicated.

These cowardly attacks took place in Tiwi, Casuarina and Nightcliff.

Ms Margaret Collins (41) told of her beating by "four white thugs".

"I was walking by myself on my way to a shop to buy some food."

"I was minding my own business -- I was hungry".

"Then I was pushed on the ground."

"I was hurt and I looked up to see four white men."

"Some had sticks, I don't know how many".

"They hit me and hit me and there was a lot of blood."

"My arm was sore and I was very scared."

Margaret's partner Victor Gurruwiwi, heard her screaming.

"I was going over to see what had happened -- But a man was in front of me and he punched me in the face. When I fell down, some men punched me and kicked me."

"I didn't fight back because they had weapons behind them , like big sticks".

At Casuarina a carload of whites pulled up near some Aboriginal people and "basically got stuck into them".
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NT Police are wringing their hands over these attacks. Probably concerned that they will be made redundant by vigilantes.

At least these vigilantes are honest about their racism and hatred. Unlike the NT Police, Night Patrol and Darwin City Council that persecute homeless Aboriginal people incessantly.

NT News - 26 February 2002

Bashing victims ...Ms Collins nurses her injured arm yesterday.
Mr Gurruwiwi ...heard screaming.

Unlike Magistrate Daynor Trigg -- the NT News describe these attacks as racially inspired.

There seems to be a reluctance on the part of the Northern Territory 'authorities' to concede that racism exists here.

That these 'authorities' owe their existence to the invasion of Aboriginal land -- the killing of Aboriginal people -- and the brutal suppression of their lives and culture -- probably explains this reluctance.

The youth charged opted to do his 12 days 'weekend detention' over 12 days to get the sentence "over and done with".

I see no mention of compensation for the 42 year old Aboriginal man left lying on the ground with a broken jaw and serious cuts and bruises. As usual.

Mick Lambe 23 April 2002

Assault case referred to NT Supreme Court
Tue, 23 April 2002

A Darwin magistrate has declined to sentence a teenager for his part in the February attacks on Aboriginal itinerants and has committed the matter to the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

Daynor Trigg said he would be hamstrung by the 12-month maximum detention limit imposed on juvenile courts.

He said the fact that the teenager was involved in four aggravated assaults separated by time and place made it hard for him to fit a suitable sentence within that limit.

The juvenile, who was 16 at the time of the attacks, had been on remand but was granted bail to appear in the Supreme Court on May 7.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/nt/metnt-23apr2002-8.htm