‘The unrest continued to escalate, resulting in violence and eventually large scale riots’: Court hears it wasn’t ‘practicable’ for police to intervene in Wadeye gang violence

POLICE were unable to intervene in prolonged riots and violence between rival gangs in Wadeye because it was too dangerous, court documents reveal

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POLICE were unable to intervene in prolonged riots and violence between rival gangs in Wadeye because it was too dangerous and out of control, court documents reveal.

Details of the terrifying violence in the community during September and October have been revealed as one of those involved, 24-year-old Michael Ninnal, pleaded guilty last week to taking part in a riot.

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According to the statement of agreed facts tendered in the Darwin Local Court and obtained by the NT News, unrest had been growing between members of the Cumaiyi and Dulla families and their associates, leading to prolonged violence that impacted the entire community.

“The unrest continued to escalate, resulting in violence and eventually large scale riots involving upwards of 200 people in Wadeye Community,” the statement said.

On the morning of October 18, the “Cumaiyi family gang” attacked the “Dulla family gang”, with each clan advancing on each other in turn “throwing weapons, yelling, screaming, banging poles and firing arrows from bows”.

“Given the nature of the fighting occurring, it was not practicable for police to immediately attempt to break up those riotously assembled, nor give any such order for them to cease their behaviour,” the statement said.

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As a result of the riots, a man was shot in the leg and required emergency surgery, another man suffered a machete wound to the head exposing his skill, a house and car were set alight and “women, children and elderly people were scared and displaced from their homes”.

The court heard Ninnal, who is aligned with the Cumaiyi family, was charged because he was identified in video footage as being a part of the large group, armed with a steel bar.

He will return to court for sentencing on March 26.

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