Protests in Australia over indigenous youth prison abuse

Hundreds rallied in Australia, in cities including Sydney, where aboriginal flags flew as demonstrators denounced the scope of a government ordered probe – demanding it become a full national inquiry.

“This is one of the most brutal, racist attacks on our young people that we have seen in the recent history of this country and what is the government going to do? Send in a red neck judge to make a hypocrisy of this inquiry before it even starts,” said Jenny Munro an Aboriginal Activist.

The UN Human Rights Commission has backed protesters’ calls for the inquiry to be extended beyond the Northern Territory where the abuse was exposed.

The footage of teenage inmates at the Don Dale youth detention centre includes guards strapping a half-naked, hooded boy to a chair.

The Northern Territory has suspended its use of controversial restraints within detention centres.

Reports indicate that Aborigines comprise about 3% of Australia’s population but make up 27% those in prison and 94 percent of juvenile inmates in the Northern Territory.