Footscray protests over fatal police shooting turn violent
A glass bottle was hurled at officers and a man took a swing at a policeman as a peaceful protest over the death of a man shot by police turned ugly.
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A peaceful protest over the death of a man who was shot dead by police was marred by violence when a man took a swing at officers, sparking clashes with police.
Hundreds of people gathered at Nicholson St in Footscray on Tuesday afternoon, where two officers shot and killed 35-year-old Abdifatah Ahmed last Thursday night.
Police say the officers were forced to shoot the man, of no fixed address and who suffered from poor mental health, because he lunged at them after refusing their orders to drop the knife he was carrying.
But witnesses and community advocates have claimed the officer’s action was “reckless” and questioned why they had not been equipped with tasers and did not deploy pepper spray
What started as a peaceful gathering of members from Melbourne’s Somali and broader African community descended into chaos for a brief period when a man in a brown jumper wearing an ankle bracelet walked up to a uniformed officer and attempted to punch him.
In footage captured by the Herald Sun, a group of about 30 protesters then clashed with officers, with another member of the crowd hurling a glass bottle at police before it shattered on the ground nearby.
Senior community advocates and protest organisers lashed the small group of anarchists who hijacked the peaceful demonstration as the crowd made its way around the streets of Footscray.
The majority of the crowd remained peaceful as organisers called for them to sit on the ground as the aggressive crowd members were removed from the event.
No arrests have been made but police will review footage of the event to determine whether any crimes were committed.
It comes after footage obtained exclusively by the Herald Sun, revealed two officers slowly walking up to 35-year-old Abdifatah Ahmed with their guns drawn just seconds after opening fire on him on Thursday night.
In the distressing video, the two officers could then be seen surrounding Mr Ahmed as he lay motionless on the ground and standing guard over him as back-up arrived.
‘Mental health needs care not bullets’
Protesters gathered at the scene on Tuesday to demand answers from the Premier and the state’s top cop over why police members were not equipped with Tasers or did not deploy proper spray before shooting Abdifatah Ahmed.
Several held signs that read “stop killing” and “mental health needs care not bullets”.
Another read: “Justice for Abdifatah”.
Police could be seen patrolling the surrounding area on foot and in marked cars.
Mr Ahmed’s death has sparked outrage in Melbourne’s Somali community, with advocates calling for Premier Jacinta Allan and Victoria Police Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent to oversee an independent investigation into the shooting.
They are also calling for a statewide Taser rollout for Victoria Police to be fast-tracked and for the officers who fired the fatal shots to be charged and stood down during the probe.
One respected elder told the crowd: “Our others need to not be wondering when their sons will be killed”.
“The government brings them (refugees) here and forgets about them.”
“We are not coming here to kill our children … we come here for a better life,” another said.
“We are Australian and we are human beings.”
Hundreds of protesters began marching down Nicholson St to the corner of Albert St, where Mr Ahmed was shot, about 2.30pm.
The crowd chanted: “No justice, no peace, no racist police”.
The paused at a floral tribute for Mr Ahmed.
A short time later, the crowd stopped outside Footscray police station where officers stood guard outside the building.
While the crowd chanted “boo” at the officers, advocates called for the group to remain calm and peaceful.
The crowd yelled at the officers, calling for the two officers involved in the shooting to be sacked.
“The two officers need to resign immediately,” one woman yelled.
The Herald Sun captured the moment a man wrestled with officers as other officers quickly retreated backwards from the crowd.
The man wearing a brown jumper couple be seen taking a swing at officers before additional police arrived.
Senior advocates told the crowd it was unclear who the man was and that he did not represent the cause, which began as peaceful.
The protesters then sat down on the ground as the crowd lashed the aggressive man for hijacking the event.
Officers stood guard at the thoroughfare near Leeds St as crowd began to disperse just before 4pm.
President of Somali Community Inc Farah Warsame said the confronting footage of the shooting had left the community traumatised and reinforced calls for an independent investigation into the shooting.
“We have to speak for someone who can no longer speak for himself,” he said.
“We are here to demand justice.
“He (Mr Ahmed) was one of us.”
Police say Mr Ahmed lunged at the officers near the Metro West mall on Albert St in Footscray about 9pm, forcing them to open fire.
Mr Ahmed, who had no fixed address and suffered from poor mental health, died at the scene.
Police lash claims of racial motivation
On Tuesday, Victoria Police also lashed claims the officers shot Mr Ahmed in a racially motivated incident, and confirmed they had since taken leave in line with standard protocols.
“We strongly reject any claims that this matter was racially motivated,” a spokesperson said in a statement, confirming the officers were not equipped with tasers.
“We understand the community is concerned about this incident.
“This is something no police officer wants to be involved in when they come to work.
“Unfortunately, police were confronted with an extremely volatile and high-risk situation and made a tactical decision to use their firearms in a small matter of moments.”
The spokesperson said the $214m statewide taser rollout was moving as quickly as possible.
“The rollout is moving as fast as it possibly can, while ensuring every member who receives a Taser undergoes comprehensive physical and theoretical training and police stations are fitted out to safely store the devices.
“With that said, even when officers have a Taser they will still have to make a risk assessment based on each situation they are confronted with and make a decision on which tactical option to use.”
President of Somali Community Inc Farah Warsame said the move by police to draw their weapons raised major concerns about why they did not deploy pepper spray or have Tasers.
“Abdifatah was a son, a brother, and a young man in visible distress. He needed care,
compassion, and support, not fatal force,” he said.
“This tragedy highlights broader systemic concerns, including over-policing, racial profiling, and inadequate mental health responses when it comes to African Australian communities. “These are not new issues. We have raised them before, and we raise them again because lives are at stake.”
Some community sources told the Herald Sun they held concerns tensions in the crown could erupt because of the level of outrage fuelled by the fatal shooting.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers would patrol the planned demonstration on Tuesday.
“Victoria Police respects the right for peaceful protest however any unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated,” she said.
Mr Ahmed, who was a refugee from Somalia, was well known in the Footscray area and has been described as a man who was usually “warm and fun-loving” with a quick sense of humour.
“He lived with mental health challenges, but he was always calm and peaceful,” Africause chief executive Berhan Ahmed told the Herald Sun on Sunday.
It is understood that the officers involved have not been stood down, with Commander Tim Tully backing their actions, despite witnesses labelling the fatal approach as “senseless”.
It was revealed in the wake of Mr Ahmed’s death that the officers who shot him were not equipped with Tasers.
Just over half of frontline officers have been equipped with the technology under a $214m revamp set to be complete by September next year.
Victoria Police’s Professional Standards command is overseeing the homicide probe into Mr Ahmed’s death, which is standard practice when police are involved in a shooting.
Originally published as Footscray protests over fatal police shooting turn violent
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