Indigenous media personalities have joined the Yuendumu community in speaking out about the fatal shooting Saturday of Kumanjayi Walker, a 19-year-old Indigenous man.
âA 28-year-old male Northern Territory police officer has been charged with one count of murder,â police said in a statement on Wednesday.
The officer has been identified as Zachary Rolfe. Northern Territory Police Association President Paul McCue said Thursday of the officer: âThe member has made it clear that he will plead not guilty and will vigorously contest the charges. He, like all, has the presumption of innocence in his favour.â
Indigenous communities have rallied in the streets and taken to social media to voice their concerns.
Actor Meyne Wyatt attended a âJustice for Walkerâ rally in Sydney on Wednesday evening.
âYou turned up today. We got a win. But the fight will go on. To the end,â he wrote on Instagram after the protest at Sydneyâs Town Hall, which saw a turnout of hundreds.
Following the demonstration, Meyne told HuffPost Australia that the sentiment amongst the crowd was sombre.
âI think the feeling is a down feeling, really,â he said. âItâs a dreadful feeling we all had to gather around for the occasion, but we will do it and we will keep doing it to fight for whatâs right.â
On Tuesday Meyne asked his Instagram followers to join the nationwide rallies that were being held, as he believed âsystemic change is needed and independent investigations need to be hadâ.
âPeople still want to live in this bubble of safety that things have improved. Well clearly, they damn well havenât,â wrote Meyne, whose father was from the Yamatji area and mother was from the Wongutha region.
âWhat will it take for people to wake up?
âI wonât be silenced,â he said. âTomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at the Sydney Town Hall, Iâll be this loud black dog again. I want you there with me. This is a national call to action!â
Walker was allegedly shot after police officers entered a home in the community of Yuendumu, 266 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs, early Saturday evening.
It is alleged that Walker was then taken to the police station instead of a local medical facility, which had been unstaffed at the time. At the station, police locked the family outside and did not update them on his welfare until hours later.
Actor Miranda Tapsell, who is a Larrakia woman, also shared an Instagram post showing the #IStandWithYuendumu hashtag on Tuesday and said, âMy heart breaks for the mob in Yuendumuâ.
âThis young manâs life was taken before it even began. This Walpiri teenager was nineteen years old. He was a brother and a son. His community is grieving,â she wrote.
The âTop End Weddingâ actor urged people from all backgrounds to speak out and show their support for the Indigenous community.
âItâs disheartening to see only a small number of non-Indigenous friends share this. Donât be upset if you have. This boyâs life being taken matters more than being accused of radio silence,â she said.
âBut we all have skin in the game and non-Indigenous people have to stop divorcing themselves from the things that happen to us. Direct your anger to somewhere useful. Please. If youâre sick of hearing this, read up and share. Go to the protests. Turn up.â
Former âBachelorâ contestant Brooke Blurton also said on social media, âMy heart goes out to the Yuendumu Communityâ.