Protest Over Aboriginal Teen's Death Turns Ugly In Australia

A dozen police officers were injured and a courthouse had to be evacuated during a protest over the death of an Aboriginal teenager in Australia.

Riot police had to move in and several arrests were made in the town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, on Tuesday.

Protesters had tried to force their way into the courthouse, with one police officer needing stitches after being struck by a projectile.

Windows were smashed in five police cars and a local business, police said.

The crowd had been protesting outside the court before the appearance of a 55-year-old man charged with the manslaughter of Elijah Doughty, 14.

Elijah was riding a stolen motorbike on Monday before a crash involving the bike and the man's vehicle.

Police said the motorbike was linked to the charged man.

Acting police commander Darryl Gaunt said Facebook posts about the incident had been "disgusting and racist" and had "inflamed" the situation.

However, he refuted suggestions that racism played a role in Elijah's death.

"There is nothing to suggest at all that it's a racist issue," he said. "It's the death of a child who happens to be Aboriginal."

Elijah's grandfather Albert Doughty, who wants the man's charge upgraded, told the ABC: "Kids have been chased in cars for too long, and reported (but) nothing done about it."

But he condemned the violence seen during the protest, saying: "I just want people to respect police and the law and let justice take its course in the right way."

Other protesters said they were expressing frustration at what they described as ongoing, endemic racism, with one saying the violence was "200 years in the making".

A police post on Facebook said: "We understand there is significant community concern over events in the Goldfields area during the past 24 hours.

"Members of the public have a right to protest, however, we encourage them to do so peacefully, or they may be arrested."

The accused man remains in custody and is expected to appear in a Perth court via videolink on Wednesday.

He and his family have been moved away from the area for safety reasons.