The alleged throwing of a homemade bomb into an Invasion Day rally crowd has been declared a terrorist act.
Thousands of people were evacuated on January 26 from Forrest Place in Perth’s city centre after police found an object containing volatile chemicals, nails and metal ball bearings.
The explosive device, which failed to detonate, was thrown by a 31-year-old man at the 2500-strong crowd of Indigenous people, families and supporters, police allege.
WA Premier Roger Cook said the alleged attack had now been determined to be act of terror.
“We must condemn this incident in the strongest possible terms, and we must call it for what it is,” the premier said on Thursday.
“The WA joint counterterrorism team comprising WA Police, the Australian Federal Police and ASIO have determined the incident last Monday in Perth should be charged as a terrorist act.”
Charges against the 31-year-old, who remains in custody, have been upgraded to engaging in a terrorist act.
“This charge, which has been laid by the Joint Task Force, alleges the attack on Aboriginal people and other peaceful protesters was motivated by hateful, racist ideology,” he said.
“This is the first time this charge has been laid in Western Australia.”
A Perth magistrate granted a suppression order on the man’s identity because of fears for his safety.
The ill-fated attack rocked the community and the country in the wake of the Bondi attack on December 14.
“I know this event has impacted people Australia wide, and it is deeply felt by our indigenous communities – I know that there is anger, we have every right to be angry,” Mr Cook said.
“Any attack on our First Nations people is an attack on all of us, and this is not what it means to be Australians, but we must allow police to complete their investigation so that justice process can take place.”