Extra police deployed to Milingimbi after ‘violent behaviour’

A remote community in Arnhem Land will receive additional police resources after ‘violent behaviour’ rattled the town, forcing the evacuation of health staff.

NT Police respond to disturbance in Milingimbi. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Police are descending on the remote Northern Territory town of Milingimbi after ”violent behaviour” rattled the community’s only health clinic.

Superintendent Adrian Kidney said about 100 people were involved in the incident about 12.10am Friday.

Superintendent Kidney said the group allegedly damaged the clinic building and nearby vehicles before police dispersed the crowd.

However, shortly after the groups dispersed, they regrouped and up to 200 people, armed with weapons, began causing disturbances around the clinic before again being dispersed.

Superintendent Kidney said police transported clinic staff out of the area.

He said police believed the disturbance was “instigated” by two “known” community groups.

Superintendent Kidney at 12.30pm said additional resources from Ramingining and Darwin were due to arrive in the community “shortly”, where they would support proactive patrols to keep the community “calm”.

No injuries have been reported to police.

“The violent behaviour we saw this morning is completely unacceptable and police are urging the community to come together and bring an end to this conflict,” he said.

“Police will be facilitating mediation talks and anyone with information is urged to contact police on 131 444 or visit your local station.

“You can also make an anonymous report through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”

Miwatj Health CEO Steve Rossingh said while two visiting NT Health staff had been evacuated from the community, local clinic staff were safe and happy to stay.

Mr Rossingh said the clinic “got caught up in a little bit of collateral damage” and some ambulance windows were broken but the staff “all feel safe and secure”.

“The nature of the dispute has nothing to do with the clinic itself, the main area where the disruption occurred just happens to be right next to where the clinic is,” he said.

“There was one window to the clinic broken where someone had been injured in the melee and the aggressive group saw them in the clinic and broke one of the windows because they could see the person in the clinic.”

Mr Rossingh said the safety of Miwatj staff was “our primary concern always”.

“We want to make sure our services are available to provide assistance to the community while at the same time not compromising the safety of our staff,” he said.

The incident comes just 24 hours after NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy decided not to extend a curfew on the town of Alice Springs, after a violent riot in the Central Australia town in the early hours of Sunday, and another riot in CBD about 1pm Wednesday.

Originally published as Extra police deployed to Milingimbi after ‘violent behaviour’