Alice Springs curfew being considered after 20 youths attack off-duty police officers
A group of 20 male youths allegedly assaulted and robbed four off-duty police officers, in a week of escalating violence in Alice Springs.
A second curfew is being considered in Alice Springs after a group of 20 male youths allegedly attacked and robbed four off-duty police officers on Sunday morning.
Four officers – three female and one male – were walking along the Todd River walkway near the Scott Terrace bridge on their way to a hotel on Barret Drive at about 2.15am when a group of 20 male youths appeared from behind and allegedly assaulted them.
One female officer, who was punched in the face and kicked multiple times, had her mobile taken off her while another female was pulled to the ground and had her bag stolen.
The male officer was also punched and kicked multiple times.
The youths fled the scene after the alleged attack, and the four officers returned to their hotel to call the police.
Two female victims suffered minor wounds and were taken to Alice Springs Hospital.
Police are urging for witnesses to come forward to help with their investigation.
NT Police Minister Brent Potter said a second curfew is being considered, and said it had been a “horror 72 hours” citing other incidents such as a police being officer run over outside a bottle ship and an alleged stabbing in the CBD.
He said it is up to the territory’s police commissioner Michael Murphy to call a curfew.
“[Commissioner Murphy] is looking at every option, I can tell you right now he is looking at the curfew,” Mr Potter said.
A decision is expected to be made either on Sunday night or Monday.
New laws that allow the NT police commissioner to call snap curfews passed in the territory’s parliament in May.
Alice Springs was previously subjected to a two-week curfew in Alice Springs on March 27 after the NT government declared an emergency situation in the wake of escalating violence.
The curfew barred people aged under 18 from entering the CBD between 6pm and 6am without lawful purpose.
It was later extended by six days to cover the remainder of the school holidays.
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