Powerful Pic Of Deceased Aboriginal Boy’s Cousin Protecting Cops Goes Viral

Yesterday, violent scenes emerged in Kalgoorie, Western Australia, after a protest about the death of a 14-year-old Aboriginal boy descended into violence.

Elijah Doughty died on Monday morning after the stolen scooter he was riding was involved in a crash with a 55-year-old white man. The man, who has links to the scooter, has been charged with manslaughter.

He was due to face Kalgoorie Magistrates Court on Tuesday, but court proceedings were cancelled when a protest outside turned violent, with hundreds of protesters pelting rocks and bottles at police standing guard outside the court.

But one breathtaking image of a woman putting herself between protesters and the police is going viral. 

The pic of WA woman Hayley Garlett, who says is a cousin of Doughty, has been shared thousands of times on social media.

“This young lady deserves every recognition and commendation she can get for her act of bravery and maturity amongst scenes of violence and chaos,” wrote the Facebook page Cop Humour Australia. “To stand between the police and her own people in an effort to keep the peace and prevent further harm is something that needs to be shared.”

A commenter pointed out that another woman stepped up to join Garlett, to which she replied: “Yes that was me and her mother.”

She later added:

“We really didn’t want it to come to that it was supposed to be a peaceful protests, I just don’t understand how it got so out of control.”

Thousands of people are praising her for standing up for non-violence. 

Meanwhile, the accused man – whose name has been suppressed for his own safety – will appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on Wednesday via video link from an undisclosed location.

Photo: Facebook / 9 News Perth.

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