Where vigils will be held across the country today, and into the weekend in memory of Warlpiri man Kumanjayi white, who died last week in Alice Springs while a police officer was attempting to arrest him. Melissa Mackay has more from Alice springs - where relatives, friends, and community members will gather, later today.
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00:01The vigil today may well be a little smaller than initially anticipated.
00:07We've heard from members of Kumunjaya White's family that many people will be unable to travel from Yundamu to Alice Springs for this vigil today.
00:17There's a big event happening in town this weekend, the Fink Desert Race, which has seen hundreds if not thousands of people coming into Alice Springs,
00:26which means that accommodation is quite scarce and members of Mr White's family would be travelling from Yundamu,
00:33which is a remote community about 300 kilometres out of town.
00:37The vigil will still go ahead as planned here on the Alice Springs court lawns from about midday today.
00:44Members of Mr White's family have flagged that there may be another one held next week when family members are able to get here.
00:55This will be the second vigil held in Mr White's memory.
01:00There was another very emotional gathering at the Coles in Alice Springs last week,
01:06where Mr White died, as we know, during an attempted arrest by two plain clothed Northern Territory police officers.
01:15That vigil was, we heard from members of Mr White's family at that vigil and they are expected to join with other members of the Alice Springs community here later today on the Alice Springs court lawns.
01:30It's fairly significant, this space here, Dan. We are in front of the Alice Springs police station and across the road from the Alice Springs local court.
01:39And it's here on these court lawns where members of the Yundamu community have gathered many, many times before.
01:45This is where Wolperi community gathered throughout the coronial inquest into the death of Koemanjai Walker, another young Wolperi man who died in custody in 2019.
01:58The coroner was due to hand down her findings and recommendations in that case next week.
02:05But after the death of Mr White last week, the community requested the coroner hold off on handing down that report for another month to give them some time to grieve this death in custody of Koemanjai White.
02:19Mel, this is all part of a national week of action. What are advocates calling for?
02:28Dan, one of the major themes of these vigils this week and across the weekend is this call from members of the community for an independent investigation into Koemanjai White's death.
02:42We've heard from his grandfather, Ned Hargraves, who said that he doesn't trust police to carry out this investigation.
02:54The Northern Territory's acting police commissioner, Martin Dole, has, however, reiterated that this is usual practice for Northern Territory police to carry out investigations in deaths in custody.
03:07He and the chief minister of the Northern Territory have both rejected those calls for an independent investigation.
03:16We've also seen the local federal MP, Marion Scrimgeour, calling for the AFP to step in and take over this investigation as well.
03:28So a major theme of these vigils and rallies is that of independence to this investigation.
03:36Another call has been for members of Koemanjai White's family to see the CCTV from the supermarket of the incident.
03:47NT police have said that that is unable to happen as the investigation is still ongoing.
03:53And, Dan, as these vigils and rallies take place across the country this weekend, there is really a theme of solidarity with Wolperi people.
04:03There will be gatherings today in Cairns and Melbourne throughout the weekend.
04:08We will see gatherings in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
04:12So really a sense of solidarity with Wolperi people and the Yundamu community all across the country this weekend.
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