18 People Arrested ‘Without Warning’ At Protest After Aboriginal Woman Dies In Custody In QLD

black deaths in custody protest

More than 100 socially-distant protesters have flocked to the streets of Brisbane after another Indigenous woman tragically died in police custody this week.

The protest kicked off at 4pm at Brisbane’s King George Square, and was organised by the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, who have remained vocal on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Posted by Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance – WAR on Thursday, September 10, 2020

Organisers urged protesters to wear masks, have sanitiser on-hand and maintain a safe social distance to ensure the fear of spreading coronavirus wouldn’t detract from the truly important cause.

18 people have been charged with offences including wilful damage, obstructing police and obstructing roadways as a result of the protests, but Greens councillor Jonathan Sri claims they were arrested “without warning.”

“People were peacefully protesting that death in custody and then without warning or negotiation, aggressive officers started randomly arresting people,” he told ABC.

In case you missed it, the protest was sparked after another Aboriginal woman died in police custody at Roma St Watch House earlier this week, prompting an Ethical Standards investigation.

According to the ABC, the 48-year-old woman spent four days in the watch house prior to her death, after being arrested on drug and theft charges on Sunday night.

“While the circumstances of the death are to be determined, the investigation will include consideration of any underlying health conditions,” a Queensland Police Service statement read.

A post-mortem examination has since found that the woman likely died of “natural causes”, according to the ABC.

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