Violence in Australian town as man arrested over death of Indigenous girl

Hundreds of protesters clashed with Australian emergency services in Alice Springs following the arrest of Jefferson Lewis, suspected of murdering a five-year-old Indigenous girl, police confirmed on Friday.

Around 400 Indigenous people gathered at a hospital where Lewis was being treated after reportedly being beaten unconscious by locals, throwing projectiles, lighting fires, injuring several police officers and medical staff, and damaging emergency vehicles, leading police to deploy tear gas.

Jefferson Lewis, 47, presented himself at a town camp where he was subjected to 'vigilante justice' before his arrest; he has past convictions for physical assaults and was recently released from prison, while the victim, now referred to as Kumanjayi Little Baby, went missing from her home and her body was found in dense bushland.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the Northern Territory's police commissioner Martin Dole, and a spokesperson for the victim's family, Robin Granites, have all issued appeals for calm amidst the escalating tensions.

Lewis was moved to Darwin for his safety and is expected to be charged in the coming days; a day-long ban on takeaway alcohol and increased police presence are being implemented to prevent further escalation, highlighting long-standing issues faced by Indigenous Australians.