Police Investigate Incident Involving Explosive Device at Australian Protest

A 31-year-old man has been charged with throwing a homemade improvised explosive device into a crowd at an Invasion Day protest in Perth, Western Australia. The incident occurred on Monday during a protest attended by thousands of people, which was also referred to as Australia Day due to its commemoration of the 1788 arrival of British forces in Sydney Harbour.

Police have now investigating the incident as a potential “terrorist act” following calls from Indigenous leaders and human rights groups for a more robust response. The device, consisting of nails and ball bearings, did not explode and there were no injuries reported.

The suspect was charged with attempting to cause harm and possessing explosives under suspicious circumstances. A search of his home revealed a combination of chemicals and materials consistent with the manufacture of homemade explosives.

Indigenous leaders have expressed concern that police had “heard our concerns” regarding the attack. Hannah McGlade, an associate professor of law at Curtin University, stated that Indigenous people felt “absolute horror” at the potential for injury or death during the peaceful gathering.

The Human Rights Law Centre has called for the incident to be investigated as a hate crime or terrorist act. The group also expressed concerns about police’s response and communication with organisers before and after the attack.

Police allege that the suspect removed the device from his bag and threw it into the crowd, which was attended by over 2,000 people. Bomb response officers inspected the device and confirmed it to be a homemade improvised explosive device containing volatile chemicals and metal ball bearings.

Source: Al Jazeera