Larrakia Elder Uncle Eric Fejo has been arrested during a protest outside Parliament House in Darwin, as David Connolly was sworn in as Administrator of the Northern Territory.
Mr Fejo was arrested on Friday morning and led away by police as up to 100 protesters shouted "not my administrator" while Mr Connolly arrived at Parliament. National Indigenous Times understands Mr Fejo, a senior Larrakia Elder, was being held in a Darwin Watch House on Friday.
NT Police told National Indigenous Times the 61-year-old was charged with trespassing and resisting arrest, with a court date yet to be decided.
Attendees at the protest included federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy, Lingiari MP Marion Scrymgour, Member for Mulka Yingiya Guyula, and NT Labor leader and deputy leader Selena Uibo and Dheran Young.
The anger comes as Mr Connolly, the former president of the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association, was sworn in on Friday as the Territory's 24th Administrator after being nominated in December by Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro. The Administrator role — equivalent to a state governor — is intended to be politically neutral and carries a salary of $377,000.
Mr Connelly's appointment has drawn criticism due to his past social media activity, including criticism of Welcome to Country ceremonies, mockery of Indigenous languages, disparaging remarks about women and the Prime Minister, and jokes about domestic violence.
Politicians, Indigenous leaders and other prominent figures across the Territory have questioned his suitability. Mr Connolly issued a last-minute apology on Wednesday evening, more than a month after the controversy emerged.
On Friday, Senator McCarthy told the crowd while many had called for federal intervention, Mr Connolly's appointment was made by the NT Government and the consequences rested with them.
"Let me tell you, an intervention is not what this Northern Territory needs. We've seen enough of these interventions," she said.
"The comments that have been made on social media that we've seen are just absolutely deplorable.
"What is even more troubling is that the position of Administrator is meant to be apolitical, and we all know that — apolitical."
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Senator McCarthy also criticised Ms Finocchiaro for refusing to invite MPs who had previously attended Administrator swearing-in ceremonies.
"The very puerile, childish behaviour of the Chief Minister and the protocol team, to have not included any of those on the protocol list, is also an indictment on this decision that's been made in the Northern Territory," she said.
"We all can agree and disagree, and we can all have an opportunity to speak about what our beliefs are. But we also must be firm about true governance for the people of the Northern Territory.
"And the very act of not being invited into this place - the Parliament of the people of the Northern Territory - for this occasion, says it all."
The Northern Territory Government has refused to withdraw the nomination, and on Monday, Ms Finocchiaro defended her decision. Despite criticism over Mr Connolly's comments, she said it the crossbench and opposition were "making it a race issue".
"He is the Administrator now and people should have some respect," Ms Finocchiaro told Mix 104.9. "People can make mistakes, people can have personal views."
Late on Wednesday, Mr Connolly apologised, saying he is "committed to upholding the standards the community rightly expects".
"I deeply regret the past social media posts I made; I never intended to cause offence," he said.
"I am genuinely sorry for the hurt they may have caused members of the community.
"These posts are no reflection of my personal core values."
