Northern Territory Police say they are investigating “multiple large disturbances” in Maningrida after several days of unrest at the start of 2026.
In a statement, police said local members responded to a “high volume” of incidents between 1 January and 4 January, with some disturbances involving more than 200 people and allegations that some individuals were armed with weapons.
Police said 10 arrests have been made so far. The arrests include a 31-year-old man who police allege drove recklessly through the community, nearly striking a police vehicle before crashing.
The man was arrested and charged with “Recklessly endanger life” and other related driving offences, and was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court, police said.
Police said extra resources were deployed from Darwin and remain in the community, with officers conducting high-visibility patrols and engagement activities while investigations continue.
Senior Sergeant Glenn Leafe said, “This fighting is being driven by social media posts and retributions as a result.”
ABS figures show Maningrida is a small community, with 2,518 people counted in the 2021 Census. In the same Census area, 2,297 people (91.2 per cent) identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
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