Four years on from Elijah Doughty’s death, online hate fuels fears of new race divide in Kalgoorlie

August 30, 2016. One of Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s darkest days, and one of the biggest news days in the history of the Kalgoorlie Miner. The spark was a man hitting and killing Aboriginal teenager Elijah Doughty in Gribble Creek on August 29 with his ute after the teen was spotted riding a stolen motorbike. The fuse was an underlying racial tension, bubbling under the surface of the gold town and fanned by hateful comments on local social media groups in the lead-up to Elijah’s death. The fire was a riot outside the courthouse on Hannan Street on August 30, resulting in smashed police cars, projectiles being hurled at the court’s windows and charges being laid against seven individuals. Elijah’s punishment for riding a stolen motorbike was death. The man who killed Elijah was found guilty of dangerous driving occasioning death, sentenced to three years jail and had to leave town for good. He was released in 2018 having served half that time. For Elijah’s grandfather Albert Doughty, the incident is still raw four years on. “We can’t get over it, it is just like it happened yesterday,” he said. “He has sisters and brothers being treated now by psychologists — it is real devastating what happened there. “They are always down the cemetery, every weekend. “We go down on the anniversary of his death, we go down for his birthday party. It is sad to see. I go there once a week to visit the cemetery.” Reflecting on those ugly days in 2016, Mr Doughty’s disdain towards the security guards who denied entry for the mob outside to the courthouse, towards the police who arrested rioters and towards the justice system which let Elijah’s killer out after serving half his time remains plain to see. But his most biting criticism is for those who perpetrated hate and advocated for violence on social media before Elijah’s death. It was those comments which Mr Doughty argued pushed some of the local Aboriginal community over the edge. “All the racism — I don’t read Facebook but they were telling me there is a page rubbishing Aboriginal people — it is still going on, these sites are still up and running,” he said. “Our young kids walk down the street here, they get searched, they ride a motorbike in the bush and people think it is stolen. “When there was those riots at the courthouse it was all that frustration coming out, the kids had enough.” Mr Doughty knew Elijah better than most. He says he looked after the young boy because Elijah’s mother was in prison and his father was unable to provide care. That caring nature still continues — on a visit to Mr Doughty’s home this month a procession of young children and teenagers arrived and left. There was no indication of drama, of angst, of frustration — but a gloominess in the faces of some older teenagers as they listened in on Mr Doughty’s conversation with the Kalgoorlie Miner about Elijah painted a clear picture of ongoing pain. “Elijah was safe here but then he went out for a couple of months and got killed,” Mr Doughty said. “He got in the grand final Saturday, I seen him here Sunday, dead Monday. “He was good on a motorbike, he never should have been killed on one.” On the question of whether Kalgoorlie-Boulder has learned from the past, Mr Doughty is fearful too many haven’t. He points out Elijah’s memorial in Gribble Creek was desecrated just days before the fourth anniversary of his death last month. “It was just like it was before — all this eruption on social media, people being racist against Aboriginal kids,” Mr Doughty said. “Nothing has changed, never will. “It is a culture.” Mr Doughty’s warning follows recent concern from WA Police about teenagers riding off-road motorbikes illegally on the street, and the level of hateful rhetoric online surrounding the issue. Commenters have called for formation of vigilante groups, floggings, breaking limbs and have referenced Elijah’s death as a failure in stopping further crime in recent weeks. Police have urged calm, and called on parents and grandparents to help police bring the situation under control. “I have seen some of the comments on social media and, quite frankly, they are disturbing and of great concern to police,” Kalgoorlie police officer-in-charge Sen. Sgt Jason Blaine said. “I need parents and grandparents to involve themselves more with their young family members and discourage them from engaging in this unlawful and incredibly dangerous activity.” WA Opposition Leader Liza Harvey, who was police minister at the time of the riot, said news that people were spruiking vigilante justice again on social media platforms was “dreadful”. “It is absolutely appalling anybody could be making that comment,” she said. “Elijah’s death was tragic, absolutely dreadful, and caused such a big rift in the town. “He was a 14-year-old boy — my son just turned 18; Elijah’s parents are never going to have that experience.” For Mr Doughty those hateful comments are proof the fuse which ignited those grim scenes in 2016 still sit dormant today. Whether there is another spark, and whether a fire ensues, Mr Doughty says is entirely in the hands of the community response.

Four years on from Elijah Doughty’s death, online hate fuels fears of new race divide in Kalgoorlie

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