Three cops attacked by mob

A police constable had to have his eye popped back into its socket after he and two other officers were attacked by a gang of as many as 40 people.

The constable, a sergeant and an Aboriginal community police officer were beaten to the ground, punched and kicked repeatedly by an angry mob at the Ngukurr community in southeast Arnhem Land about noon yesterday.

Police did not draw their weapons or batons but used capsicum spray on the mob to escape.

The constable needed his eye pushed back into its socket and will need further scans to determine if permanent damage was caused.

All three officers suffered bruising after they were struck with fists, feet and rocks.

It is believed the violence started when the three officers tried to arrest a man who was involved in an earlier incident with a community ``troublemaker''.

The suspect's family turned on the police when they arrived to speak with him.

A tribal elder told the Northern Territory News the family attacked the police because the man they wanted to arrest was sticking up for a young petrol sniffer who was choked by the ``troublemaker'' days earlier.

An independent source, who did not want to be named, yesterday spoke out about violent incidents against remote police officers suppressed.

``It's happened before and it's been hushed up,'' he said.

``If it's getting punched in the head by an individual, you cop it sweet because it's your job.

``But it's a different matter when something like this happens.''

The two warring families later had another confrontation that the police managed without being attacked.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Fri, 29 Apr 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Author: Greg McLean
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/283