An investigation has been launched after a video appears to show a police officer knocking an elderly Indigenous man to the ground in Broome, Western Australia, went viral on social media.
The footage, filmed by a local resident, depicts part of the incident and quickly gained attention after being shared more than 1,000 times online.
The confrontation took place on Tuesday afternoon at Male Oval, a public area in the town centre often used by people experiencing homelessness.
The video begins with the officer and the elderly man standing beside a police van, before the officer appears to trip and push the man, who then falls to the ground.
The officer then drives off in their patrol car.
While the footage does not show the entire exchange, it has raised significant concern in the community.
WA Police have confirmed that around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, officers were patrolling an oval on Hamersley Street when the altercation took place.
"The police spoke with a member of the public, and the situation escalated, leading to the man being knocked to the ground," they confirmed in a statement.
The authorities have pledged to "thoroughly investigate" the circumstances of the incident.
Jeanette, a Broome local who filmed the video, was passing by the oval when she saw the altercation.
She described witnessing the officer approach a group of men sitting under a tree.
Jeanette stated the situation escalated when the officer attempted to search one of the men's bags.
"I felt sad. We couldn’t do anything but record from a distance," she told the ABC.
