From the Australian:

Racist bashing allied to Doomadgee case
By Tony Koch
September 25, 2007

A PALM Island man, who was left with brain damage and broken bones after an assault in Townsville on Friday night, claims his white attackers bashed him to show their support for policeman Chris Hurley and his fellow officers.

Leonard Beckett, 39, a technician at the Ravenswood Gold Mine in far north Queensland, said yesterday the attack on him was “definitely racist”.

He claimed the three non-indigenous men, who left him with a broken arm and jaw, told him they supported the police in relation to the 2005 death in custody of Palm Islander Mulrunji Doomadgee.

He said Townsville police had been “extremely helpful” following the incident in a pub toilet, and last night he went with his Aboriginal legal aid solicitor to make a statement and official complaint. But he said he would not be able to work for at least two months.

Mr Beckett was in intensive care for 24 hours and unable to be interviewed.

As a result, the alleged offenders, who are known to police, have not yet been charged.

“I didn’t say anything to these blokes - they just got into me saying I was the coon from Palm Island who caused the trouble with Sergeant Hurley,” Mr Beckett said.

“In the toilet they were saying, ‘Kill the bastard, smash the bastard’,” he said.

Lars Falcongreen, legal practice manager at the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community legal service in Townsville, said Mr Beckett was struck with a wooden truncheon.

“This attack was definitely racially inspired,” Mr Falcongreen said.

“When Leonard entered the Horizon Sun hotel at around 11pm on Friday, the three men involved were causing trouble at the pool table. They accused him there of being Lex Wotton.”

Mr Wotton was one of the men charged over the riots that followed Doomadgee’s death and resulted in the burning of police buildings on Palm Island.

“Leonard said he was not Lex, and left it at that, but when he visited the toilet they followed him in and attacked him,” Mr Falcongreen said.

“This is grievous bodily harm, without a doubt, and we will be speaking to police to see that the appropriate charges are laid.”