Protesters chanted and covered the windows of the NSW Supreme Court in red ochre to rally against the verdict handed to a man who killed West Australian teenager Elijah Doughty. \u00a0The 14-year-old boy was fatally run over in Kalgoorlie in 2016, and on Friday a man was sentenced to three years in jail for dangerous driving occasioning death.<\/p>\n
He was found not guilty of the more serious charge of manslaughter.<\/p>\n
The decision was an injustice according to Indigenous elders and has left many angry and disappointed.<\/p>\n
Wiradjuri elder and activist Jenny Munro said Indigenous children were being “picked off at random”.<\/p>\n
“Does this not resonate with everyone across the country?<\/p>\n
“Is there not a deep feeling of unease in everyone’s heart?”<\/p>\n
Ms Munro said there has been no justice for Elijah and his family.<\/p>\n
“Three years for the life of a young man who will never walk, talk, breathe or sing or make babies for his mother.<\/p>\n
“How many young people have to be sacrificed at this alter of racism in this country before it is recognised for what it is?”<\/p>\n
Shawn Harris, the uncle of Ms Dhu, who died in police custody in 2014, was also present at the demonstration.<\/p>\n
A coroner found the death of Ms Dhu to be preventable if simple antibiotics had been given.<\/p>\n
“My niece died by racism, as did this poor young boy, Elijah,” Mr Harris said.<\/p>\n
“A 14-year-old black child was blatantly run over. This is what we are up against over there [in Western Australia].<\/p>\n
“Kalgoorlie is one of the most racist places in Australia.”<\/p>\n
‘Wake up Australia’<\/strong><\/p>\n Harry Holbrook attended the rally as he was disgusted to hear about the sentence handed down on Friday.<\/p>\n “Black lives in this country don’t seem to matter to people,” he said.<\/p>\n “White people think they can just kill them.<\/p>\n “Non-Indigenous people need to stand up and do something about this.”<\/p>\n Bianca Flemming also attended as she was concerned about her children’s future.<\/p>\n “My children are Indigenous and to think they’re growing up in a system that doesn’t even recognise them, that won’t even give them justice is a very scary thing,” she said.<\/p>\n “In any other situation, if it was an Indigenous man who ran over a white boy, he would be charged with manslaughter, minimum.”<\/p>\n “Wake up Australia and realise that this is wrong.”<\/p>\n Hip-hop duo A.B Original used their set at Splendour in The Grass on the weekend to call for justice for Elijah, showing an image of the boy throughout their performance.<\/p>\n “This show’s for him. We’re going to represent, because we can do better,” band member Briggs said.<\/p>\n A group also rallied at the Supreme Court of South Australia today and another protest will take place at the Victorian Supreme Court on Friday.<\/p>\n By Paige Cockburn<\/p>\n Source:\u00a0radioaustralia.net<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"