Explosive Device at Indigenous Protest: Normalizing Attacks in Colonial States
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera reports police are investigating an incident where an explosive device was thrown into a crowd at an 'Invasion Day' protest in Perth, Western Australia, leading to one arrest. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Australia's 'Invasion Day' marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet, initiating centuries of land theft, massacres, and
systemic oppression against Indigenous Australians. The Frontier Wars (1788-1934) saw an estimated 60,000 Indigenous people killed, often by state-sanctioned violence or settler militias. This 'explosive device' incident is not an anomaly but a continuation of deep-seated settler aggression against those protesting colonial occupation. Double Standard: Imagine if this 'explosive device' had been
thrown at a mainstream environmental protest or a union rally in a Western capital. The outrage would be immediate, sustained, and universally condemned as an act of domestic terrorism. Yet, when such violence targets Indigenous people — routinely erased or demonized in media discourse — the coverage is often muted, framed as a singular 'incident' rather than a symptom of historical and ongoing
conflict. Contrast this with how similar events in countries deemed 'adversaries' of the West, especially if they involve state repression, are magnified and used to justify intervention or sanctions. Follow the Money: The Australian government continues to profit immensely from resource extraction on unceded Aboriginal lands, enriching corporations and the state coffers. According to the