This article contains references to an Indigenous Australian who has died.

Alleged killer of Kumanjayi Little Baby, Jefferson Lewis, has been flown to Darwin after a crowd of around 400 people gathered outside the hospital he was being treated at in Alice Springs.

The crowd, who were calling for traditional “payback”, set fire to police vehicles and bins. Objects were also thrown at police and other service workers, prompting police to use teargas and rubber bullets.

In Aboriginal lore, “payback” is the term used for traditional punishment in Central Australia.

A woman, who claimed to be related to Kumanjayi Little Baby, said she believed that police were protecting Lewis from traditional lore.

“I am angry… for what he [allegedly] did to my little baby cousin,” she said.

Lewis was being treated at the hospital, after being badly beaten by a group of people who recognised him as the alleged killer of the five-year-old.

Lewis was unconscious when police arrested him.

Northern Territory police commissioner Martin Dole said Lewis had been transferred to Darwin, due to concerns around the safety of emergency personnel.

“Our police swear an oath to serve and protect, we don’t get to choose who we protect, so the safety of Mr Lewis was important as well,” he said.

Lewis was flown out of Alice Springs at 3:30 this morning.

Dole said that while he understands the community of Alice Springs was grieving over Kumanjayi Little Baby, the violence was “not acceptable”.

“It is not reflective of what we’ve seen of the community of Alice Springs in the past five days,” he said.

Police are yet to release any details about the arrests in connection with the violence, but have said they will provide an update later today.

Photo: Sunset, Alice Spring by Stephen Michael Barnett is available HERE and used under a Creative Commons Licence. This image has not been modified.