NT: Riot police called to remote island after airport attack
02 Jan 2009 4:56 PM
DARWIN, Jan 2 AAP - Riot police were called to a remote Northern Territory island on New Year's Eve after a group of 60 people pelted the local airport with rocks and slashed the tyres of police cars.
About 9pm (CST) on Wednesday police went to Groote Eylandt airport following reports that people on an incoming flight were carrying drugs.
When officers arrived at the airport there were about 60 people waiting outside. Several of them become agitated when police searched the passengers.
Police said members of the community, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, started to shower the building with rocks, narrowly missing police, airport staff and other travellers.
They continued to verbally threaten the police, who said that several people "became hostile" and attempted to approach them.
Officers from the Territory Response Section were flown in to assist local police, who were forced to close the gates to the airport to stop the rioters.
Two police vehicles had their tyres slashed during the attack, which resulted in the arrests of three men.
A 52-year-old male has been charged with bringing alcohol into a prescribed area, violent disorder and hindering police.
A 48-year-old male has been charged with violent disorder and hindering police and a 22-year-old male has been charged with criminal damage, violent disorder and hindering police.
All three men were bailed to appear in Alyangula Court on January 20.
Further investigations are being carried out in relation to possible co-offenders and more charges are expected to be laid, police said.
No drugs were found on passengers although police did seize two 700ml bottles of spirits.
