The public are outraged after a video of a business worker hosing down a footpath next to where an Aboriginal man was sitting went viral online.
The video, filmed in Darwin by a passer-by, shows a staff member at Darwin Fishing Office hosing water in the direction of the elderly man, Jocky Gaibaral, 57.
‘Don’t support this disgusting business. They used a hose to move on an elderly indiginous (sic) man who was sitting peacefully on the sidewalk,’ one person wrote as a review on the Darwin Fishing Office’s Google page.
A video of a worker hosing down a footpath next to where an Aboriginal man is sitting emerged online
The public are outraged, leaving negative reviews after the video went viral (pictured)
Mr Gaibaral told Northern Territory News he was sitting out the front of the store last week when Robert Marchant came outside with the hose.
‘I was near the door first then they pushed me to the side,’ he said.
‘It was first thing in the morning. I was cold after that.’
The Darwin Fishing Office told Sky News they had made a complaint to police before the hosing incident because Mr Gaibaral had been causing a nuisance outside the shop.
Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he was ‘shocked and upset’ by the footage in a Facebook post.
‘This is not what the territory is about,’ Mr Gunner wrote.
‘This is now what I grew up knowing and loving about my home.’
The footage shows an Jocky Gaibaral, 57, sitting on the ground next to two businesses- Darwin Tours and Darwin Fishing Office
Robert Marchant can be seen holding a water hose, spraying in direction of the Aboriginal man
The short video was first shared to a Welcome to Country web page, sparking outrage.
‘The old man was just sitting there peacefully and this whitefulla (sic) is spraying him with water,’ the woman who filmed the incident said in the original video.
Mr Marchant, wearing a blue uniform, appeared to be working for Darwin Tours, can be seen holding a garden hose. He appears to repeatedly spray in the direction of the Aboriginal man.
After about 40 seconds the Aboriginal man gets up and starts to walk away.
An NITV reporter was told to leave when attempting to ask staff at the Darwin Fishing Office about the incident.
Staff denied the man was sprayed with water on purpose.
‘Go and talk to the police we were hosing really far away from him’, a man in Darwin Fishing Office told NITV.
The video has sparked outrage online.
‘Absolutely disgusted. This business has brought shame on any of the surrounding businesses. The person with the hose should be charged with assault,’ another wrote in a business review.
‘This is disgraceful!! I have always planned to go for a trip up to Darwin and I would much rather sit with this beautiful aboriginal elder and ask him for stories about the land and where are the best places to visit and stay, share a cold drink with him maybe have a meal with him and ask him to be our tour guide,’ one woman wrote on Facebook.
‘Disgusting and un-Australian!! See if he’s ok. If he needs water or food!!! Water to drink not to be moved on,’ wrote another user.
In a statement Northern Territory Police said: ‘Police are aware of the video and are making enquiries.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Darwin Tours and Darwin Fishing Office for comment.