On June 4, 2025, hundreds gathered in Darwin for a candle-lit vigil to honor Kumanjayi White, a young man who died in police custody.

Kumanjayi White, a 24-year-old with mental disabilities, died on May 27 after being forcibly restrained by plain-clothes police in a supermarket in Alice Springs.

Police allege that White was shoplifting and assaulted a security guard, which led to his restraint by two officers prior to his death.

During the vigil, participants displayed banners reading 'We stand with Yuendumu' and 'Justice for White', while laying candles and flowers in tribute.

Speakers at the vigil emphasized the deep mistrust of police within Aboriginal communities and called for an independent investigation into White's death.

The Central Land Council (CLC) has urged the federal government to withhold funding from the Northern Territory government until an independent police conduct commission is established.

CLC chair Warren Williams criticized the lack of a body to investigate police misconduct and stressed the need for measures targeting problematic officers to rebuild community trust.

Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy suggested that an independent probe into White's death might be necessary to ensure impartiality.

However, the Northern Territory Police and Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro opposed calls for an external investigation, asserting that police are capable of handling the inquiry.

Justice Not Jails spokesperson Jade Richie criticized the notion of police investigating themselves in death-in-custody cases and announced a planned national week of action with more vigils.

The Yuendumu community has previously faced tragedy, having lost Kumanjayi Walker, a 19-year-old shot by police in 2019, with the officer later acquitted of all charges.

The coronial findings for Kumanjayi Walker's death have been postponed until July 7, 2025, following the recent death of Kumanjayi White.