Indigenous man tries to prevent police from driving on public roads through Aboriginal land
- Aboriginal man detains police in outback NSW
- Forbid them to enter Muruwari land
- He used a parked car to block a public road
An Aboriginal man has tried to stop some police officers from entering Indigenous land by closing off a public road with his car.
Bruce Makudda Shillingsworth, a proud Muruwari and Budjiti man, filmed himself confronting the officers in the NSW outback in a video posted to social media this week.
“We have the police here. What happens is they move into Muruwari land, they think they have authority. I’m going to ask them here now if they’re authorized,” he says to the camera.
One of the officers quickly intervenes and tells him, “You’re blocking a public road.”
Bruce Makudda Shillingsworth, a proud Muruwari and Budjiti man, filmed himself confronting the officers in a video posted to Twitter this week (pictured)
“You’re blocking a lane, move your vehicle,” the other officer adds.
“This is a carriageway in New South Wales.”
“This is Muruwari land,” Mr. Shillingsworth repeats before telling the officers not to enter traditional Aboriginal land.
“Things are going on and I know why you guys go there,” he says.
“My name is Bruce Junior Shillingsworth and I am a Muruwari man.”
“I’m a police officer,” one of the officers replies.
“I’ll give you a clue to move your car. If you do not follow that instruction, you may be committing a criminal offense.’
Mr Shillingsworth then claims he is a ‘law enforcement officer’.
Bruce Shillingsworth (right) is a First Nations activist, artist and Aboriginal Childrens Advocate (ACA), while Bruce Shillingsworth Junior describes himself as a ‘public figure’ on social media
“You are committing an offense because that land is Muruwari land from here and you should know that,” he tells the officer.
“You mean we’re not working on it yet?” the agent replies before the video ends.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted NSW Police for comment.
Muruwari land stretches over 16,000 square meters from Barringun on the Queensland/NSW border to Mulga Downs and Weela in southern Queensland.
It includes Enngonia on the Warrego River, Brenda and Weilmoringle on the Culgoa River, and as far south as Milroy and Collerina in NSW.
Bruce Shillingsworth, who appears to be an elderly relative of the man in the video, is a First Nations activist, artist and Aboriginal Children’s Advocate (ACA).