Hundreds of protesters clashed with emergency workers in the remote Australian town of Alice Springs on Friday after police arrested a 47-year-old man suspected of abducting and killing a five-year-old Indigenous girl, Kumanjayi Little Baby.

Police said around 400 people gathered at Alice Springs Hospital, where the suspect, Jefferson Lewis, was taken after being beaten unconscious by locals. The crowd demanded "payback," a traditional form of punishment in Aboriginal communities, throwing projectiles and lighting fires.

Several police officers and medical workers were injured. Police vehicles, ambulances, and fire trucks were damaged. Officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said Lewis presented himself to police at a town camp, where residents "decided to inflict vigilante justice." Lewis has prior convictions for assault and was recently released from prison.

The girl went missing from her home on the outskirts of Alice Springs last Saturday. Her body was found Thursday in dense bushland after a massive search involving hundreds of people.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he understood "people's anger and frustration" but urged calm. Senior Aboriginal elder Robin Granites also appealed for restraint, stating, "Now is not the time to be heroes on social media or make trouble."

Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro announced a one-day ban on takeaway alcohol sales and additional police deployment from Darwin to prevent further escalation. Alcohol restrictions are already in place on certain days to reduce crime.

Source: www.aljazeera.com