BROOME, Australia: Australian police have charged a 45-year-old man with aggravated assault after he allegedly bound three young Indigenous children with cable ties for swimming in a pool without permission.
The incident, which occurred in Broome, Western Australia, sparked outrage after images circulated on social media showing the tearful children with their hands tied together.
Local residents confronted the man on the property, demanding that he release the children. The situation escalated, prompting Western Australia Premier Roger Cook to address the distressing incident during a news conference, urging the community to allow the police to conduct their investigation.
The treatment of Indigenous children is a sensitive issue in Australia, given the historical context of forced removals and assimilation policies. Police in Broome responded to reports of children swimming in an unoccupied pool and found two of the children still bound with cable ties upon arrival.
The man was taken into custody, charged with aggravated assault, and released on bail pending a court hearing on March 25. While acknowledging the challenging circumstances of the incident, police urged the community to respect the court process and allow it to proceed accordingly.
