Australian Man Charged with Murder of Five-Year-Old Girl
Were the Alice Springs riots criminal acts deserving of prosecution or justified community response to an unthinkable tragedy?
Above: The town of Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia, on Oct. 22, 2020. Image credit: David Gray/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The riots that took place in Alice Springs caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage and unacceptable levels of destruction, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. While Northern Territory Police will ensure Kumanjayi Little Baby has justice, it will also bring to account those whose actions have shamefully distracted from what has taken place.
Establishment-critical narrative
The riots that occurred following the arrest of Lewis were nothing short of the manifestation of a community’s rage and grief. After discovering the horrendous circumstances surrounding the abduction and murder of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, the community was naturally pushed to its breaking point, taking to the streets to express their outrage and hurt.