Kalgoorlie elder and pastor Geoffrey Stokes said violent clashes between protesters and police in his home town on Tuesday drew necessary attention to the institutionalised racism in the Western Australia city.
He said it highlighted a prejudice towards Indigenous people that will help ensure justice for Elijah Doughty, who died in a bike incident.
"This is a turning point for the people of Kalgoorlie, they've had enough," he told SBS News.
While Pastor Stokes condemned the riots as "terrible", he hoped they would prompt action.
"I hope [the clashes] will force the politicians to get off their backside to address the racism towards Aboriginal people."
Pastor Stokes also agreed with Indigenous journalist Chris Graham that argued the clash between protesters and police in Kalgoorlie on Tuesday over the death of a 14-year-old Elijah Doughty was an 'uprising', not a 'riot', as some media outlets reported.
About 200 peaceful protesters came together during the accused's appearance in the Kalgoorlie Courthouse on Tuesday. The 55-year-old man was appearing on a charge of unlawfully killing Elijah in a crash between a ute and motorbike that was reported stolen.
However the gathering turned violent after some were denied access to the courtroom and learned the man had been charged with manslaughter instead of murder.
Police in riot gear were soon deployed to diffuse the crowd as some protesters smashed courthouse windows and damaged police vehicles. Several arrests were made and nearby businesses shut down out of fears for their safety.
Meanwhile, some social media users posted views about the boy's death that Mr Graham deemed racist.
A screen shot of a Facebook comment over the death of the Aboriginal boy. Source: Facebook
The violent protest and the attention it brought "does mean that a system which has brutalised Aboriginal people for more than two hundred years will come under far greater scrutiny," Mr Graham wrote, referring to the deaths of Indigenous people that have occurred in the hands of Australia's justice system - from South Hedland in Western Australia to Queensland's Palm Island and Bowraville in northern NSW.
"The fact is, violence sometimes is the answer. It was our answer in Iraq, and Afghanistan, and Vietnam. It’s our answer on Manus and Nauru.
"State-sanctioned violence is carried out in all our names, for all our benefit," he continued.
"While yesterday’s violence was not state sanctioned, this morning, you’re only reading about it because Aboriginal people fought back."
The piece roused a chorus of agreement on Twitter.
Man may still be charged with Elijah's murder
Western Australia Police Acting Commander Darryl Gaunt said the manslaughter charge was based on the evidence available but it could be upgraded to murder once police conducted a full examination of the vehicles and reconstructed the scene.
The accused, who cannot be named, appeared briefly in court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody until next month.
Acting Mayor Allan Pendal described it as the worst violence he had seen in 30 years.
Elijah's grandfather, Albert Doughty, said there had been tensions in the town, which he believed motivated the protest.
Mr Doughty told 6PR radio he told the crowd to go home, but they became increasingly agitated, chanting "justice!"
Aboriginal elder Aubrey Lynch said that indicated those young people no longer respected their elders.
But Elijah's teenage cousin Hayley Garlett, who stood arms outstretched with her mother in front of police during the riot to try to quell the crowd, has been praised for her efforts.
"It was supposed to be a peaceful protest, I just don't understand how it got so out of control," she wrote on Facebook.
Mr Gaunt told reporters the pair showed not all Aboriginal protesters were acting unlawfully.
"What they did was incredibly brave and their family and friends should be incredibly proud of them as we are," he said.
"It wasn't supposed to be about trashing the town or terrifying people. It was supposed to be about showing their cause (and) respecting the death of Elijah."
Mr Gaunt also took the opportunity to dismiss rumours anyone other than the accused and the victim were involved, and denied a history of people running down others on bikes, but said youth crime was an issue.
Kalgoorlie resident Elijah Doughty, 14, was killed while riding a motorbike. Source: Facebook
Kalgoorlie MP Wendy Duncan urged people to show restraint on social media saying messages of hate made it worse, as it emerged that racist pages and comments on Facebook by a vocal minority about local indigenous people were contributing to tensions.
"Events like this, tragic as they are, are a catalyst for change and I think we need to seize that opportunity."
Attorney General Michael Mischin said "the lynch mob" attempt at justice was inexcusable.
Police Minister Liza Harvey said police resources, which included bringing in officers from other areas, were adequate.
A peaceful candlelight vigil was held on Tuesday and liquor restrictions were lifted on Wednesday.
