A 14-year-old Noongar boy has been physically restrained and pinned to the ground in an "absolutely appalling" use of force by Transperth transit guards following a misunderstanding about free transportation.
The incident unfolded on Wednesday at Ellenbrook Station as the boy and his friends were leaving the premises.
The transit guards reportedly singled him out from the group to question him about his ticket. Confused, the boy explained he didn't have one, believing public transport was free during the holidays.
While free travel does apply during this period, it requires a SmartRider—a card allowing users to tap on and off—which the boy did not have.
According to the boy, the situation escalated when he refused to give them his name.
Believing he wasn't in trouble, he continued walking with his friends.
"They just stopped me, and then all of a sudden they grabbed me," he told National Indigenous Times.
The boy described being restrained by the guards.
"One of them in the back said, 'Put him on the floor,' and all of a sudden I was on the floor. They were kneeing me and holding me down tight. It was so real tight. They put their hands on me," he said.
"They didn't really explain. They didn't say anything…" he added, describing his confusion and distress.
Kelly Cameron, whose son plays footy with the boy, witnessed the confrontation.
"One of the guards had his knee pinned into [his] back. They had him handcuffed on the floor for nearly five minutes," Ms Cameron told National Indigenous Times.
Ms Cameron called the level of force "absolutely appalling," noting the boy appeared scared and confused.
"The guards insisted he was resisting arrest and claimed he was aggressive. But [the boy] wasn't aggressive. He was terrified," Ms Cameron said.
The boy's mother arrived at the scene after being contacted by witnesses. She described her shock upon seeing her son handcuffed.
"When I arrived, I was so angry. I couldn't believe it when I saw how many guards were there for a young boy," she said.
"He kept saying to me, 'I did nothing, Mum. I did nothing, Mum.' It was heartbreaking."
The boy's mother later noticed marks on his wrists from the handcuffs and a cut on his hand. Despite attempts by the boy's friends and witnesses to explain his age to the guards, she said their concerns were ignored.
"Half of his friends didn't have tickets, and they only went for [him]," she said.
Frustrated and upset, the boy reportedly asked the guards, "What would you feel like if someone hurt your 14-year-old boy like this?"
The guards did not respond.
Ms Cameron said the incident highlights unequal treatment. She cited an example of a caucasian teenage girl, whose father, Sean, coaches the boy and Ms Cameron's son. She experienced a similar misunderstanding about the tickets.
"She didn't have her SmartRider once, and they just explained the situation to her and gave her a fine. But with [the boy], it was immediate aggression and excessive force," she said.
A day after this incident, a similar situation allegedly occurred at Ellenbrook Station involving an African boy. When his friend tried to intervene, the guards reportedly said, "step back away off campus right now," according to the boy.
The Noongar boy's mother described her son as feeling both angry and scared after the incident, comparing it to scenes from a movie.
"It was humiliating and unnecessary," Ms Cameron said
"They were showcasing a young Aboriginal boy in handcuffs for the world to see.
"This cannot be brushed under the carpet. If this is how they treated [him], who knows how many others have been targeted? We need accountability and change."
Ellenbrook is known for its diverse, multicultural community, and the family and Ms Cameron stressed that they don't want this happening to another Aboriginal child,
Complaints have been filed by Ms Cameron, the boy's coach Sean and his mother against Transperth, along with calls for a review of guard conduct and ticketing policies.
Transperth did not respond to questions posed by National Indigenous Times.
