Youth curfew imposed in crisis-struck Alice Springs after terrified locals ... trends now
Alice Springs youths will be subjected to a 14-day curfew in an attempt to curb crime and violence on the streets - after terrified locals were forced to cower in a pub while a mob armed with an axe tried to smash their way inside.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Eve Lawler held a snap press conference on Wednesday afternoon announcing the curfew would kick in from 6pm this evening.
An additional 58 police will be deployed to the region in an attempt to keep law and order, and to redirect youths back to their houses if they're caught on the streets in the evening.
As the Easter long weekend approaches and for the next two weeks, youths under 18 must be in their homes between the hours of 6pm and 6am.
'It's going to be difficult for us to manage a curfew but I think the people of Alice Springs expect their government to step up and that's what we're doing,' she said.
Ms Lawler herself will travel to the embattled region on Thursday morning, alongside police chief Michael Murphy.
It comes amid heightened tensions in the community following the death of an 18-year-old boy last week.
The tragedy has sparked family feuds which have spilled onto the streets.
One Alice Springs resident made an emotional plea for the Prime Minister to intervene after a vengeful mob rampaged down the town's main street and attacked a pub with locals barricaded inside fearing for their lives.
Videos taken from inside and outside the Todd Tavern on Tuesday afternoon show the group of around 70 Indigenous people attacking the windows and doors with rocks, bricks and sometimes their bare feet as they launch flying kicks.
From the inside a local man holds the glass doors closed with his foot as frenzied attempts are made by Indigenous youth to kick in the glass, which cracks but does not shatter.
Terrifying footage has emerged of a rampaging mob attacking an Alice Springs pub as locals barricade themselves inside
In another video large rocks are hurled at the windows and hooded attackers can be seen menacingly carrying crow bars.
Local baker Darren Clark, who founded the Action for Alice, on Wednesday morning called on Anthony Albanese to bring the area under federal control echoing similar pleas from NT LNP Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and the town's mayor.
Asked by Sydney radio station talkback host Ben Fordham what he would like to say to Mr Albanese after the horrifying scenes Mr Clark's voice wavered with barely controlled emotion.
'Just putting money on table doesn't fix this mate,' Mr Clark said.
'You've got to come and see for yourself. You've got to come and talk to the locals to see what we are witnessing.
'The messages I have got from people in this town overnight will break your bloody heart PM.
'Come up here and talk to your fellow Australians and help this town. Just help us.'
Mr Clark told Fordham he didn't know what to say anymore because the town is 'under siege'.
'When is enough is enough?' he said.
'They are ruining our town. They have let it go. They are trusting people up here to fix this problem, they haven't got a clue buddy.
'We've tried to tell them but they can't fix this problem.
'They have let it go too far, they've got the wrong people looking into this. They aren't doing their jobs, they can't do their jobs.
'We need federal intervention up here.'
The rampaging mob of around 70 people took over one of the main roads of Alice Springs as they attacked the hotel
Inside the Todd Tavern a man was forced to hold the glass doors shut with his foot as attackers launched themselves at them
Mr Clark said the Northern Territory was 'too immature to goven ourselves'.
'Our poor police are run off their feet, they are exhausted,' he said.
This has led to calls from locals and politicians for 'drastic' action, including getting the federal government to take over the Northern Territory, bringing in federal riot squads or even the army to bring the Red Centre back under control.
The mob who were filmed attacking the hotel had 'been through the whole town before that', according to Mr Clark.
'They had smashed windows throughout the whole town.
'People were locking down, putting roller shutters down. People were hiding, they smashed the cars.
'They had crowbars, axes running through the streets, it's just insane.
'It's the worst event here most of us have seen and you know I have seen a hell of a lot over the past four years.'
Mr Clark believed the situation had escalated overnight in one of the town camps where Indigenous people were mourning a 'young fellow who died in a stolen car a few weeks back'.
'But that turned into payback, they are looking for the driver of the car looking for payback,' Mr Clark said
'We have hadd trouble last week with the bottle shops here just absolute chaos.'
Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson has
