Indigenous Boy Killed in 'Random Assault'... "250 Years of Ongoing Racial Discrimination and Violence"

15-Year-Old Indigenous Boy Dies After Assault by White Man in Australia
Calls to End Hate Crimes Amid Nationwide Mourning in Australia

Memorial monument of Cassius Turbi. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] A 15-year-old Indigenous boy in Australia died while receiving treatment after suffering serious injuries from a random assault by a white man. In response, Australian citizens are raising their voices, calling for the eradication of hate crimes amid waves of mourning.

On the 3rd (local time), local media including Australia's ABC and The Australian reported that 15-year-old Cassius Turby, who lived in the Middleswan area of Western Australia, passed away while undergoing hospital treatment.

Turby was attacked with a metal rod by a white man in his 20s on the afternoon of the 13th of last month while returning home after school with friends, sustaining severe head injuries. He had been receiving treatment since then but died 10 days after the incident without regaining consciousness. Police arrested the suspect, white youth Jack Steven James Briley, on murder charges.

Following the news of this incident, voices demanding the protection of Indigenous rights and the elimination of hate crimes have grown louder, especially among Indigenous rights activists in Australia. Thousands of citizens gathered across Australia, including in Western Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, to mourn Turby and protest against racial discrimination.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently mentioned the case, stating, "This horrific tragedy, clearly motivated by racial factors, pains our hearts," making it clear that this incident was racially motivated.

They particularly emphasized that students have the right to wear their school uniforms and return home safely, criticizing inappropriate remarks made by the local police chief regarding the incident. Earlier, Western Australia Police Commissioner Cole Blanch stated when announcing Turby’s case, "Turby was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

At a rally held in downtown Sydney, a speaker stressed, "There is no case in this land where it can be said that an Indigenous child was killed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time." Ingrid Matthew (53), who attended the rally, said, "Racially discriminatory and violent behavior against Indigenous people has continued in Australia for 250 years," adding, "We must stop the violence."

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