Outback Town Erupts in Riots Over Justice Demands

Riots erupted in an Australian outback town as an Aboriginal community expressed outrage over the death of a five-year-old girl. Hundreds of people protested, demanding that the man arrested for the alleged abduction and murder face traditional 'payback' punishment rather than legal custody. Police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, which had gathered outside Alice Springs Hospital. The suspect, Jefferson Lewis, was reportedly beaten by community members before his arrest, an incident police intervened in. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the girl's death, with forensic testing underway on items found at the scene. The Northern Territory police commissioner condemned the violence, emphasizing that police protect everyone. The Australian prime minister called the case 'every parent's worst fear.'