Community leaders and politicians have called for calm after violent scenes on the streets of Mparntwe/Alice Springs following the arrest of a man over the killing of a five-year-old girl.
On Thursday evening, Jefferson Lewis, 47, was arrested following the discovery of a child's body about 5km from where the girl disappeared near Alice Springs on Saturday night.
Police believe the body to be that of the missing five-year-old girl, now referred to as Kumanjayi Little Baby at her family's request, in line with cultural practises.
On Friday morning, Robin Granites, a senior Yapa (Warlpiri) Elder and spokesperson for the family of Kumantjayi Little Baby, appealed for calm. He said the time was now for sorry business and to "show respect for our family and have space for grieving and remembering".
"Everyone is feeling very upset and emotions are very high, I understand that," he said. "What has happened this week is not our way. Our children are precious, of course we are feeling angry and hurt at what has happened.
"This man has been caught, thanks to community action, and we must now let justice take its course while we take the time to mourn Kumantjayi Little Baby and support our family."
Mr Lewis was reportedly seen wandering outside the Charles Creek town camp near the town centre on Thursday evening, with Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole saying he presented himself to one of the town camps, where some community members decided to "inflict vigilante justice".
"We received numerous phone calls saying he was in the process of being assaulted," he told reporters on Friday. "We responded very quickly, and we stopped that from continuing."
Mr Lewis was taken to Alice Springs Hospital, where protesting ensued, with people calling for him to be released and dealt with.
NT Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd after protesters were seen to smash police car windows. Members of the crowd set a police car on fire as officers attempted to move people on.
In one video, members of the crowd can be heard calling out: "Bring that motherf***er out", "Shoot him", "F****g shoot the c**t", "Bring him out here", "Bring him for us".
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Mr Lewis, who had just been released from prison, was flown to Darwin on Friday morning, Mr Dole said.
"He was conveyed by police air wing at about 3:30 this morning, and he's currently in Darwin or just landing in Darwin as we're speaking," he told the ABC. "He's been given a fit-for-custody" after a health check, he said.
Mr Lewis' injuries are not severe enough to stay in hospital, Mr Dole said, and he is now in the custody of NT Police, where he doesn't "envisage that he's going to be out anytime soon".
Police are adamant Mr Lewis had been helped by people in the community to evade capture. They said a post-mortem examination, expected to be conducted within days, will be crucial in determining the cause and timing of the girl's death.
Mr Dole added police expect charges to be laid very soon.
"If not today, in the very near future, maybe tomorrow," he said.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy acknowledged there was "rioting" on Thursday evening, but said there must now be calm.
"There was certainly a lot of anger and certainly a lot of fear," she told Radio National, "and it's important that this morning I think the community of Alice Springs brings this calm because we need calm to come into this space and remember that there's families who are grieving and justice now needs to take its course with Mr Lewis now in custody".
The minister said there would be a leadership meeting on Friday morning with Congress, the Tangentyere Council and NT Police.
"There needs to be calm and there needs to be a proper process now in terms of this criminal investigation," Senator McCarthy said. "And it must not be jeopardised by foolishness in terms of the work that has to be done for police and by police to get this investigation done appropriately."
There will be no takeaway alcohol in the town on Friday, with limited access over the weekend, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said.
In a statement, the National Indigenous Child Commissioner, Sue-Anne Hunter, said that whilst there are calls for justice, "we also call for unity, and we remember the loss that sits at the centre of this".
"The hope we held for Kumanjayi Little Baby's safe discovery and return must now be held for the futures of our children," she said. "This must compel us to be better and do better for them. Every child has a right to safety and a bright future."
Robin Granites also asked people from bush communities to carefully consider their need to travel to Mparntwe/Alice Springs at this time. He said now is not the time to be "heroes on social media or make trouble".
"If you need to come to join sorry business, that's fine. But just come for that, then return home please," he said.
"We must be mindful Mparntwe is traditional country for Central Arrernte, and East and Western Arrernte as well. We must respect that and their ways. We need to be strong for each other, we must respect family and cultural practice. This is the Yapa way."
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