Disturbing video shows handcuffed Indigenous boy bleeding from head after being arrested
Warning: This article contains graphic content of incidents that some readers may find traumatic. Discretion is advised
CORAKI, AUSTRALIA: In disturbingly viral footage, a 14-year-old Aboriginal boy could be seen covered in blood whilst withering in pain and drifting in and out of consciousness after being arrested by the police over alleged break and enter. The video shows angry and distressed relatives of the boy yelling at cops to stay away as they try to comfort him.
The boy could be seen placed in a handcuff, with blood streaming down his face on September 11, after being arrested in Coraki, in northern New South Wales. Angry relatives could be heard shouting at the police to stay while another man hugs and comforts the teen, resting his blood-covered head on his shoulder in an attempt to keep him conscious as he appears to become unresponsive.
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"Get away, you've done enough damage to him," a woman could be heard telling the officers. The police officer continue to approach and pat the boy's back, before another distressed relative screamed, "get your hand off him! You've done enough!" Relatives could be seen placing a cloth on his head to stop the blood bleeding from the cut, but the boy soon starts to scream in agony. The 14-year-old boy whose name was not released due to legal reasons was rushed to a Lismore Base Hospital.
The viral footage has racked up more than 110,000 views and 1700 reactions. "Enough is enough," the relative of the boy wrote on Facebook. "We need to educate our mob, look after our mob, watch out for our mob when police are involved." NSW Police said the boy was arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into several property offenses. "In July 2022, officers attached to Richmond Police District established Strike Force Impala to investigate a number of serious property offenses, including an aggravated break, enter and steal offenses in the Coraki area," according to Daily Mail.
The police were conducting patrols of the Coraki area on 11 September 2022 when they observed a group of four people armed with housebreaking implements, including a crowbar and a piece of timber. When the Officers approached the group they immediately fled upon sighting police. After a foot pursuit, police arrested boys of age 13 and 14 from a short distance away. In which the 14-year-old teen was arrested and hurt due to a laceration to his head. He was taken to Lismore Base Hospital and later taken to Lismore Police Station.
Both the boys were taken to the same police station and later charged. NSW Police said they reviewed the conduct of the arresting officers and found their actions were "reasonable." "The 14-year-old was charged with entering enclosed not prescribed premises land without lawful excuse, goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen, and possessing housebreaking implements," reports the source. He was refused bail and appeared at a children’s court on September 12, where he was granted conditional bail to reappear at a children’s court on 28 October. The younger boy was also charged with the same and granted conditional bail to appear at a children’s court on 30, September.