Australian man ties 3 Aboriginal children with cable, sparks anger

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – A white Australian man has been charged with three counts of “aggravated assault” by police after tying three Aboriginal children with a cable.

The incident in Western Australia has sparked anger with the state’s Premier Roger Cook describing it as "disturbing" and "confronting."

In footage posted live on Facebook by locals in the northern Broome area on Tuesday, the white man, 45, was seen restraining two children, aged 6 and 7, who were tied together with a cable around their wrists.

The third child, aged 8, had left the scene before the police arrived but was later found by officers.

The video "raises very strong emotions" and "anyone that saw that video would have found it confronting, would have found it disturbing,” said Cook, according to ABC News.

“This happened in Broome Western Australia today. ... Who gives this white man the ... rights to tie up 2 Aboriginal kids?” wrote Facebook user Nungarri Skeen, who shared the video of the incident on Tuesday.

While the man has been granted bail awaiting a court date, police described the incident as "confronting."

The “force” used by the man to restrain the children, who were seen screaming, "was not proportionate in the circumstances,” said the police.

Skeen’s Facebook posts have triggered “hate” and “racist” reactions, with a netizen telling her: “Stop causing trouble.”

Police, however, asked the community members to “allow officers to thoroughly investigate the matter so that the full circumstances can be established.”

State’s Commissioner for Children and Young People Jacqueline McGowan-Jones said she was "appalled" by the incident.

"It would appear these are very young and small children. They appear to be quite frightened in the circumstances. He is quite a large man. And they appear to be very nervous," she said.