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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/sep/29/dylan-voller-arrested-during-protest-against-youth-imprisonment
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| 'I’ll have to go back and do my time': Dylan Voller arrested in protest | 'I’ll have to go back and do my time': Dylan Voller arrested in protest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Dylan Voller has said he may have to go back to serve more time in custody after being arrested along with about half a dozen others after police clashed with a group protesting against youth imprisonment on a highway in Alice Springs. | Dylan Voller has said he may have to go back to serve more time in custody after being arrested along with about half a dozen others after police clashed with a group protesting against youth imprisonment on a highway in Alice Springs. |
| Voller, who became an advocate for reducing youth imprisonment after his release from jail in February, was among a group of about 50 people outside the Alice Springs courthouse on Friday as part of a rolling series of protests aimed at shutting down youth prisons and ending Aboriginal deaths in custody. | Voller, who became an advocate for reducing youth imprisonment after his release from jail in February, was among a group of about 50 people outside the Alice Springs courthouse on Friday as part of a rolling series of protests aimed at shutting down youth prisons and ending Aboriginal deaths in custody. |
| The group walked from the courthouse to the Stuart Highway about 1.30pm local time and blocked traffic for about 20 minutes, before police intervened and told them to move on. | The group walked from the courthouse to the Stuart Highway about 1.30pm local time and blocked traffic for about 20 minutes, before police intervened and told them to move on. |
| Video footage shows Voller and others being pushed to the ground by police officers, who were wielding capsicum spray and shouting at them to “get off the road”. | Video footage shows Voller and others being pushed to the ground by police officers, who were wielding capsicum spray and shouting at them to “get off the road”. |
| Dylan Voller & other young people have been arrested at peaceful rally in Alice Springs #shutyouthprisons pic.twitter.com/y065adwp6g | Dylan Voller & other young people have been arrested at peaceful rally in Alice Springs #shutyouthprisons pic.twitter.com/y065adwp6g |
| One police officer could be seen kicking a photographer, who was sitting on the road near where they had pinned down and were handcuffing another person. | One police officer could be seen kicking a photographer, who was sitting on the road near where they had pinned down and were handcuffing another person. |
| Voller posted a video to Facebook while inside the Alice Springs police watch house, where he apologised for letting people down – particularly his sister, Kirra. | Voller posted a video to Facebook while inside the Alice Springs police watch house, where he apologised for letting people down – particularly his sister, Kirra. |
| “Sorry for putting you under stress,” he said. “I guess I’ll just have to go back and do my time, take it on the chin ... this is my fuck up and I’ll take it, but I didn’t get locked up for nothing. Black lives matter.” | “Sorry for putting you under stress,” he said. “I guess I’ll just have to go back and do my time, take it on the chin ... this is my fuck up and I’ll take it, but I didn’t get locked up for nothing. Black lives matter.” |
| The 20-year-old provided a running commentary of the rally for more than 15 minutes before officers realised he had his phone in the cell and ordered him to turn it off. | The 20-year-old provided a running commentary of the rally for more than 15 minutes before officers realised he had his phone in the cell and ordered him to turn it off. |
| “Police went to grab Mum and slammed her on the ground, so I just went to walk over, and then they jumped on me,” he said. | |
| Fellow protester Hilary Tyler said officers arrested four adults and two children after violently “targeting people”, while footage shows one policeman kicking a photographer. | Fellow protester Hilary Tyler said officers arrested four adults and two children after violently “targeting people”, while footage shows one policeman kicking a photographer. |
| “I saw this one 14-year-old kid being tackled to the ground,” she said. “I was kicked by the cops, I was pushed ... pretty much everyone there was manhandled. It was disgusting. | “I saw this one 14-year-old kid being tackled to the ground,” she said. “I was kicked by the cops, I was pushed ... pretty much everyone there was manhandled. It was disgusting. |
| “We were holding the road but we were doing it peacefully ... they initiated the violence.” | “We were holding the road but we were doing it peacefully ... they initiated the violence.” |
| #BREAKING: Peaceful #ShutYouthPrisons march turns violent when police aggressively slam Dylan Voller and others to the ground in Mparntwe pic.twitter.com/KAwaLIqPdY | #BREAKING: Peaceful #ShutYouthPrisons march turns violent when police aggressively slam Dylan Voller and others to the ground in Mparntwe pic.twitter.com/KAwaLIqPdY |
| Prisoner advocacy campaigner Deb Kilroy was at the protest and said police had been directing traffic around the group before ordering them to move on. | Prisoner advocacy campaigner Deb Kilroy was at the protest and said police had been directing traffic around the group before ordering them to move on. |
| Kilroy said it had been a peaceful protest until police started “pushing people” to get off the road. | Kilroy said it had been a peaceful protest until police started “pushing people” to get off the road. |
| She said the protesters had already decided to move on, at the request of a female elder. | She said the protesters had already decided to move on, at the request of a female elder. |
| “There were so many cops and they were up in Dylan’s face, and all the young people that were with him,” she said. | “There were so many cops and they were up in Dylan’s face, and all the young people that were with him,” she said. |
| “Then all of a sudden he’s on the ground, his mother is on the ground, they have been arrested.” | “Then all of a sudden he’s on the ground, his mother is on the ground, they have been arrested.” |
| Kilroy said Dylan and Joanne Voller, along with a few others, were taken to the police station. The other protesters returned to the courthouse. | Kilroy said Dylan and Joanne Voller, along with a few others, were taken to the police station. The other protesters returned to the courthouse. |
| Northern Territory police said eight people aged between 14 and 47 were arrested after they obstructed traffic. | Northern Territory police said eight people aged between 14 and 47 were arrested after they obstructed traffic. |
| “The obstruction of traffic was outside an arranged organised protest in Alice Springs and put motorists and pedestrians at risk,” NT police said in a statement. | “The obstruction of traffic was outside an arranged organised protest in Alice Springs and put motorists and pedestrians at risk,” NT police said in a statement. |
| “Enquiries are ongoing and it is expected that the offenders will be released today pending being served with infringement notices for obstructing traffic and disorderly conduct.” | “Enquiries are ongoing and it is expected that the offenders will be released today pending being served with infringement notices for obstructing traffic and disorderly conduct.” |
| A police spokesperson said those under 18 would be considered for diversion and that police would review videos of the arrest “and take action as appropriate”. | A police spokesperson said those under 18 would be considered for diversion and that police would review videos of the arrest “and take action as appropriate”. |
| Guardian Australia understands Voller is due to come off the last of his remaining youth justice orders next week. | Guardian Australia understands Voller is due to come off the last of his remaining youth justice orders next week. |
| Voller was one of six teenage boys teargassed in Darwin’s Don Dale juvenile detention centre in 2014. The incident prompted two damning reviews and an investigation by the ABC’s Four Corners program, which in turn led to the royal commission into the protection and detention of children in the Northern Territory. | |
| In July, Voller announced his intention to run for the Alice Springs town council to use his experience in the youth justice system in providing a voice for young people. | In July, Voller announced his intention to run for the Alice Springs town council to use his experience in the youth justice system in providing a voice for young people. |
| Flares were let off along Princes Bridge in Melbourne at a sister protest on Friday afternoon. | Flares were let off along Princes Bridge in Melbourne at a sister protest on Friday afternoon. |
| Naarm (Melbourne) today. 80% of young people in prison are on remand #ShutYouthPrisons #BringThemHome pic.twitter.com/9CRSYwTk1q | Naarm (Melbourne) today. 80% of young people in prison are on remand #ShutYouthPrisons #BringThemHome pic.twitter.com/9CRSYwTk1q |