Warning: this article contains the name of an Aboriginal person who has died.
Community members, families, activists, and allies gathered outside Sydney Town Hall on Sunday night to honour the life of Kumanjayi White, a 24-year-old Warlpiri man who died after being restrained by plainclothes police officers inside a Coles supermarket in Alice Springs.
The vigil was both a moment of mourning and a powerful call to action - highlighting the deep and ongoing impacts of systemic racism and police violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
‘We mourn, and we stand with his family’
Among the speakers was Paul Silva, a Dunghutti man and long-time advocate for justice in Aboriginal deaths in custody.
Silva’s uncle, David Dungay Jr, died in Long Bay jail in 2015 after being forcefully restrained by officers.
Standing in solidarity with Kumanjayi’s family and the Warlpiri community, Silva addressed the crowd.
“This man was vulnerable,” he said.
Candles lit in remembrance as hundreds gather for a vigil honouring Kumanjayi White.
Silva’s words were met with solemn silence and candlelight, as the gathering paid tribute to another young life lost under the shadow of state power.
Community Demands: Truth, Transparency, and Accountability
At the heart of the protest were clear and urgent demands from supporters and family members. The family of Kumanjayi White and their supporters are calling for a series of urgent actions in the wake of his death.
They are demanding that the investigation be immediately transferred to an independent body, asserting that continued oversight by the Northern Territory Police Force undermines public trust.
They are also calling for the full release of all available CCTV and body-worn camera footage from the period before and during Kumanjayi’s time in custody, so that his family can have clarity and transparency around what happened.
In addition, they are urging the police to stop making public allegations about Kumanjayi’s supposed criminal behaviour. They insist that any such statements made up to now should be formally withdrawn, and a public apology issued.
Advocates say these are the minimum steps required to restore any public confidence in the handling of Kumanjayi’s death.
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