Protest big on passion
The turnout was smaller but the passion the same at the second anti-crime rally in front of Parliament House.
About 400 Territorians assembled at State Square on Saturday afternoon, rather than the thousands who stumped up at the first rally last month, but their anticrime message was the same.
Protesters once more called for “Declan’s law”, but did not say what would be the measure would be.
Protesters spoke of their despair at ongoing crime and its impact on themselves and loved-ones.
Darwin resident Val Gray said her son was preparing a fishing trip in his troop carrier, which was packed and ready to go on a fishing trip on Good Friday.
“It was grabbed overnight and my son went out to put on the boat and it wasn’t there,” Mrs Gray said.
“Later on that morning he saw an Instagram that he showed me that it was being driven, used for wheelies and I nearly cried because he’s worked very hard for all of that. It’s very disappointing and there has to be some consequence.
“Someone’s got to pay for all of this.”
Her son Julian Kear, the owner of the stolen vehicle, said he wanted to “pull the lever on federal policy” and had spoken to Federal Solomon MP Luke Gosling in search of a solution.
“He said he doesn’t have a policy,” Mr Kear said.
Mr Kear and speakers at the rally echoed Alice Springs mayor Matt Paterson’s call for Federal Police to intervene in the “crime crisis”.
”Pull the lever federally to support the police, whether it’s the Army, the Air Force, or whatever it is,” he said.
NT Crime Rally organisers said they had acquired a permit to hold a third rally during parliamentary sittings at 2pm May 11.
Cobie Campbell also announced a memorial for Declan Laverty, to be held at the Convention Centre on Saturday May 23.
The protesters also paused at the end of the rally in honour of the woman allegedly killed in Darwin on Friday.