An Indigenous man has died in police custody in the Northern Territory, the same day as hundreds protested in Sydney and Brisbane over the death of 24-year-old Indigenous man, Kumanjayi White, in Alice Springs last month.
The Northern Territory police force said the 68-year-old man died in Royal Darwin hospital on Saturday, and they would investigate the death on behalf of the coroner.
He was arrested on 30 May, after the Australian federal police received reports of the man being intoxicated and unable to board a flight out of Darwin at 1pm.
He was taken into protective custody and initially conveyed to the Palmerston watchhouse. He was then transported to the Royal Darwin hospital for further assessment.
The police said the man lost consciousness on arrival at the hospital, with medical staff successfully performing CPR. He was transferred to an intensive care unit in a stable condition for a suspected medical event.
The man died in the ICU on Saturday, with the cause of death undetermined, pending a postmortem examination.
A spokesperson for the NT police said it is being investigated as a death in custody “as the man was in the custody of the AFP at the time of him first losing consciousness”.
Police confirmed the man is Aboriginal and his next of kin have been notified.
The AFP said in a statement on Sunday that the man was “not restrained at any point by AFP officers”.
The man’s death happened the same day as hundreds protested in Sydney and Brisbane over the death of 24-year-old Indigenous man, Kumanjayi White, after being restrained by the police in the Northern Territory.
Police alleged that the Warlpiri man was shoplifting when plainclothes officers stepped in to assist the store’s security guard.
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The NT police “respectfully” rejected a request from White’s family that an inquiry independent of police be undertaken in “a culturally safe manner”, and there have been calls for the AFP to take over the investigation.
The Central Land Council had urged the federal government to withhold funding from the NT government until the family’s demand for an independent inquiry was met.
“We don’t trust this government and its police force to keep us safe,” said the CLC chair, Warren Williams, who is also White’s uncle.
Last week marked five years since tens of thousands defied Covid restrictions in Australia to march in Black Lives Matter protests across the country, calling for an end to Indigenous deaths in custody.
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Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636
