Aborigines armed with spears riot in Australia

By Michael Perry

SYDNEY (Reuters) - About 200 people armed with spears, knives and sticks, rioted in an Australian outback aboriginal town after an argument in a tavern, police said on Tuesday.

The argument, possibly between feuding families, started in the tavern at Aurukun, an isolated aboriginal community in northern Queensland state, on Monday.

"The argument started in the tavern and moved onto the street where about 200 people, some armed with spears, sticks and knives, started fighting," a police spokesman told Reuters.

"One man suffered serious head injuries when he was attacked by three people," he said.

A police tactical response squad was flown to Aurukun overnight to help stop the fighting.

"We do not yet know what started it. It could be something to do with feuding families," said the police spokesman.

"We may transport people out of there in a view to talking to them, but if there was alcohol involved we will have to wait until they sober up."

Aurukun has been hit by a number of alcohol-fuelled riots in recent years.