Northern Territory police have arrested two more people over an attack on the Todd Tavern in the Alice Springs CBD this week, and a third person who allegedly assaulted police in a separate incident.
Eight people have now been arrested over the incidents on Tuesday, which included the tavern doors and windows being smashed and bricks thrown at them.
Five men were arrested in relation to the incidents earlier this week, and more than 50 weapons were seized.
NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy said the two additional men arrested over the damage to the tavern were facing charges including engaging in violent conduct, damaged property and riotous behaviour.
Police have estimated up to 150 people were involved in the incidents across Alice Springs, some of whom were armed and engaging in violent conduct.
The series of violent and destructive incidents triggered the declaration for an emergency two-week youth curfew banning anyone aged under 18 from walking the streets of the CBD between 6pm and 6am.
The curfew has been widely touted as a much-needed “circuit breaker” for the town, but most community leaders, politicians, police and experts have said it is not a “silver bullet” solution.
Elders have called for more consultation with them from authorities.
“What we’re hearing on the ground from our communities is that we need a circuit breaker,” Arrernte and Luritja woman Catherine Liddle said.
Ms Liddle, the chief executive officer of SNAICC, the organisation that represents Indigenous children in out-of-home care, said the focus needed to be on immediate help in the sector.
“The government has to get out and talk to the services about what’s going wrong, talk to all elements, and that includes police, social services, health services — it’s everyone that has skin in the game on this,” she said.
“We have seen a couple of big announcements that impact on the Northern Territory, that is an incredible increase in dollars for housing and education.
“These things will be fundamental, but that will take time. What we need is those community decisions [and] solutions, and we need them to happen really quickly.”
Arrests in Alice Springs suburbs draw attention from CBD curfew
While the streets of the CBD remained relatively calm on Thursday evening, police responded to two burglary incidents overnight in the town’s west.
Police allege up to five people unlawfully entered a camping store in the suburb of Ciccone, stealing cash and a large amount of hunting equipment, including crossbows and knives.
No arrests have yet been made in relation to the burglary, but some of the stolen knives have been recovered.
In a separate incident, three children aged 12, 13 and 17 years old were arrested after an aggravated burglary in Gillen.
Police said one of them allegedly threatened a resident with a firearm before the group stole the keys to two vehicles, which were later found just south of the CBD.
No injuries were reported and the children remain in custody, but police allege up to seven children were involved in the aggravated burglary.
“There was a really swift response from the police resourcing footprint we’ve got in town,” Commissioner Murphy said.
“We’ve got some really good footage identifying everyone else involved, so we’re expecting some pretty quick action on that, arrests and information leading to what actually was used in that crime to make sure that the community remains safe.”
The ABC has requested footage from both incidents.
Curfew continues to receive criticism from youth advocates
Not everyone agrees the curfew imposed on Wednesday is a circuit-breaker. Some have called the declaration a “knee-jerk” response.
Central Australian Youth Link-Up Service founder Blair McFarland has said the curfew would do little to address the underlying reasons children were finding themselves on the street of Alice Springs.
He said a recent curfew in Townsville had only managed to push property crime from the CBD into the suburbs.
But Commissioner Murphy said night three of the Alice Springs curfew had been “very positive”, with no arrests made in relation to breach of curfew.
“The 24 engagements with youth last night were really good, high levels of compliance … there have been no arrests related to breach of curfew,” he said.
“We had the youth workers out with us, [and] obviously a huge police presence as well.
“We’ve got the additional 60 staff from day one, assisting us with engagement with the community, so we want to make sure this is positive. It’s about that engagement.”
Commissioner Murphy also said that while police were working hard to make the two-week curfew safe for everyone involved, the force was also facilitating conversations with partners in the community around long-term solutions.
“[There are] some really good things happening especially with the local indigenous leaders,” Commissioner Murphy said.
“[We’re] drawing on some really good solutions, and that’s going to help us form up what day fourteen looks like and transitioning from a really heavy police presence to more of a community-owned solution.”
“We’re only 72 hours into it. This is the short-term fix. The longer-term rests with the community and the broader solutions.”
The youth curfew in Alice Springs will lift on Wednesday, April 10.