Detainees at the notorious Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in Darwin climbed onto the roof on Friday, in a move advocates said was a protest against lockdowns at the facility.
Key points:
- Supporters of the detainees say the youths were "shouting and yelling"
- The incident was managed by youth justice staff, with police not called
- A royal commission into youth detention in the NT recommended Don Dale be closed in 2018
The Northern Territory Department of Territory Families confirmed the incident occurred over "a few hours", with "a small number of young people" involved.
"The young people were monitored throughout and supported to come down safely late in the afternoon," a spokesperson said in a statement.
"The Police were not called, this was all managed by youth justice staff.
"Staff ... followed procedures to monitor and ensure the safety of young people on the roof at the centre. Young people were provided water and staff listened to their concerns, supporting them to safely exit the roof."
Lawyer John Lawrence was among a group of Close Don Dale Now campaign members who arrived outside the facility and witnessed the incident.
"We noticed ... kids up on the roof of H-block, they were shouting and yelling, demonstrating," he said.
"We asked what they wanted, they said they'd been mistreated.
"They said they'd been subject to constant lockdowns."
Detainees have previously climbed onto Don Dale's roof in 2018, during a riot in which police deployed tear gas.
Replacement facility yet to open
In 2016, the treatment of children inside the detention centre was the focus of a Four Corners episode.
It sparked national outcry and a royal commission, which delivered 227 recommendations, including that the facility be closed by February 2018.
The royal commission noted Don Dale was unsuitable for housing children, posing risks to the health and safety of those held there.
The NT government has faced several roadblocks in its attempt to build a new facility, including having to ditch its first proposed site in 2019 due to local opposition.
After settling on a location within close proximity to Darwin's adult prison, which youth justice advocates said went against a royal commission recommendation, the Labor government promised the new centre would open by mid-2022.
That time frame has been pushed back on multiple occasions, with then-territory families minister Kate Worden saying in October 2023 that the opening date wold be in "early 2024".
The delays have come amid "tougher than ever" changes to youth bail laws, which have seen a spike in the number of people held in both Don Dale and its Alice Springs counterpart.