FAMILY feuding triggered the Pioneer riot involving more than 300 people on Saturday morning.
Mount Isa police arrived at Gardner Street three minutes after receiving a phone call on Saturday morning, but after assessing the “volatile” situation waited for back-up.
Mount Isa Police Inspector Trevor Kidd said the crowd were pulling fences apart and wielding star pickets and glass bottles.
They broke into smaller groups when police first arrived at about 4.30am, but when it became more hostile additional police officers were needed.
In all, 16 police officers broke up the riot at about 5.15am and made 15 arrests.
“The vast majority of them were adults, they really should have known a lot better,” Inspector Kidd said. “It’s completely unacceptable behaviour by anyone’s standard.”
Inspector Kidd said officers first arriving at the scene could have been injured if they “rushed into the middle of it” too soon.
"It’s completely unacceptable behaviour by anyone’s standard”
- Mount Isa Police Inspector Trevor Kidd
Police also risked criticism by residents if they were seen to be over-reacting to an incident, he said.
Inspector Kidd said the riot was triggered by fighting among families in an area frequently attended to by police.
There were many social issues involved in the high risk area, and police worked with government departments and other agencies.
Mount Isa was a hub for visiting family and friends from Indigenous communities in the Carpentaria Gulf and in the Northern Territory.
However, local hosts were also responsible for their visitors’ behaviour as well, the Inspector said.
A Gardner Street resident questioned the length of time it took for police to react to his emergency phone call.
The resident – who asked to remain unnamed in case of retribution by rioters - phoned police when woken by screaming in the street at 4.27am, Saturday.
“They come in my street in Gardner, it was just like a pack of dogs.
“Fighting, screaming, swearing, throwing sticks and stones, everything. One of those fellas got into a vehicle and ripped the s—t out of it up the street.
“My cousin down the road they stoned his house and everything.”
Police did not disperse the riot until later, the resident said.
“If they had done their job properly they would have cut them off before it ended as it was.”
The resident acknowledged the difficulty police would have in breaking up a large crowd.
“You would be a silly man to walk among it.”
The resident said the disturbances were happening between every Thursday and Saturday the last three weeks. These were caused by household disturbances and alcohol.