Earl Street: Police were ‘disrespectful’ of community and ‘were‘ heavy-handed in arrest of Algen Donohue

Residents of Earl Street have accused the police of mistreating Mareeba’s Aboriginal community in the wake of about 30 people allegedly targeting police vehicles in the street on November 26.

Kiama Ryan explained there was an incident yet again on Earl Street where she said the police looked poised to taser her 15-year-old cousin.

A group of residents have accused the police of mistreating Mareeba’s Aboriginal community in the wake of about 30 people allegedly targeting police vehicles in the street on November 26.

On the western fringe of Mareeba, the streets gradually give way to an expansive terrain of open woodland forests and high, dry grass.

Earl Street is made up humble houses amid fragrant bushland; behind it is the distant rise of ash blue mountains.

But in recent weeks, the neighbourhood’s serenity has been punctured by a sense of dread.

On Sunday, November 26, police allege a large group tried to obstruct the arrest of 27-year-old Algen Donahue, charged with assault occasioning bodily harm (domestic violence offence), during which multiple vehicles were damaged and an officer providing crowd management was struck in the face.

Twelve people have been charged over the alleged violence.

Footage from a street disturbance in Earl St, Mareeba, on Sunday, November 26.

Algen is the brother of Aubrey Donahue, who was shot by police following a four-hour siege at a home in Mareeba, on March 25.

The homes in this predominantly Aboriginal part of time are basic; yards are cluttered with toys and broken down cars, curtains are makeshift, and many windows are barred with pale planks of wood.

On the day the Cairns Post visited, all the residents on the street were friendly as they welcomed us onto their property.

“We’ve got a kind heart,” said Earl Street resident Kiama Ryan.

“Police should respect Aboriginal people like everyone else, and they don’t. It’s unbelievable. We all live in the same town. It’s unfortunate,” she said.

Her cousin Leanne Ryan said she came out of the house on November 26 after hearing the cries of confrontation.

The view from the residential side of Earl Street, Mareeba

She said she walked out to see Algen Donahue getting arrested.

“It was horrible; they had their knee on the back of the neck,” she said

“I ran out the front to look what was going on; they had him on the ground; they shouldn’t be treating someone like that.”

Kiama Ryan said that on the night of Monday, December 4, tensions flared again in the street.

“I was getting my kids ready for school, and I heard some noise out the front,” she said.

“I saw that the police had surrounded (a 15-year-old). Just a minor. They were about to taser him. I said ‘stop, stop; he’s only a kid’.”

Kiama Ryan said the police “have got to give Aboriginal people a chance, don’t go treating us like that.”

Footage from a street disturbance in Earl St, Mareeba, on Sunday, November 26.

An elderly couple who live on the street, allege that on Monday night, the police came into their house without a warrant, apparently believing them to be connected to the 15-year-old they, in the end, did not taser.

“I think the police need to sit down with Aboriginal people and hear their concerns, hear our stories,” the couple said.

Another man who was outside repairing his car said “the problem is everyone is getting worse. The kids are getting worse; they are not being disciplined like our generation”.

“But the problem is that the cops are getting worse too,” he added.

However, not everybody in Mareeba’s Aboriginal community believes the core problem lies with the police.

A leader of a local Aboriginal Corporation who wanted to remain anonymous said she was “really surprised and disappointed in the behavior (of the people involved in the November 26 incident)”.

“Most of these people were quite young. Many were under the influence,” she said.

Kiama Ryan, a resident of Earl Street, Mareeba

“The poor police were just trying to do their job, its terrible and unacceptable. I spoke to some people who knew about why the police were there.”

She said since the shooting of Aubrey Donahue, there was “trouble just simmering; it’s always just below the surface.”

“My advice is that we need to be patient and let the police do their job; there is going to be an inquiry; let the proper authorities do their job and see what the result is.”

For many in the community, they simply hope people will let the inquest into Aubrey Donahue run its course; but Kiama Ryan warned the November 26 incident happened because: “If you hurt one of us, you hurt all of our mob, and we going to stick up for each other.”

A spokeswoman from the Queensland Police Service said: “As the matter is before the court it would be inappropriate to comment further. Anyone experiencing domestic and family violence is urged to contact police, all reports will be fully investigated.”

Originally published as Earl Street: Police were ‘disrespectful’ of community and ‘were‘ heavy-handed in arrest of Algen Donohue