Community march calls for racial equality and an end to Aboriginal deaths in custody

Hundreds of people marched through Geraldton today in the second Black Lives Matter movement protest this month. Organiser Louise Edwards told the 200-strong crowd the Australian movement demanding change to prevent Aboriginal deaths in custody had been reignited by protests in the United States over the deaths of African American men in police custody. “This is about all life mattering,” she said. “Tragic deaths like George Floyd’s has been happening for a long time here too.” Protesters gathered at Edith Cowan Square in front of the Geraldton courthouse and police station at 11am before marching down Marine Terrace. Yamaji woman Leanne Taylor said she had lived in Geraldton her whole life and was shocked to still be facing racism from residents. “Coming together like this is our only way to tell the community that we matter,” she said. The grandmother of Aboriginal woman Ms Dhu who died in police custody, Carol Roe, thanked those in attendance for calling for police accountability on Aboriginal deaths in custody. “Six years ago Ms Dhu died in police custody over unpaid fines, I’m happy to hear the legislation passed yesterday,” she said referring to the unpaid fines law reforms prompted by death of Ms Dhu. “But how long until it’s implemented?” Officer in charge at Geraldton Police Station Senior Sergeant Jason Scragg was present at the protest and said police had been liaising with organisers, who had obtained approval to conduct the march. He said it was important for police to be present at the protest and to engage with the community on these issues. A Yamaji woman, who asked not to be named, said she was too old and had been protesting too long to be caught up in the march — preferring to sit on the sidelines. “It’s time to let the young fellas speak their truth and let their voices be heard,” she said. Indigenous prison fine reform Bill passed unanimously by both Houses of WA Parliament