Northern Territory Police have launched a criminal investigation into a video that appears to show a person urinating next to a homeless Indigenous man in Darwin.
The short clip, which was shared on social media over the weekend before being removed, shows a man apparently urinating on makeshift bedding next to the head of a person sleeping outside a restaurant in the CBD.
The CEO of Larrakia Nation — an Aboriginal corporation that provides support for people sleeping rough in the city — told the ABC he was shocked when he saw the vision.
"When I started to watch it, I just left it. I couldn't bring myself to watch the full video and just felt for the poor bloke asleep," Robert Cooper said on Monday.
He said the behaviour went beyond the type of harassment rough sleepers sometimes experience.
"That is not a case of pushback," he said.
"That's a case of picking on someone who's unable to defend themselves."
Mr Cooper said on Monday he wanted police to investigate the case.
"There is no way it's acceptable in modern society," he said.
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, police confirmed they were officially investigating the matter.
"This type of behaviour displayed is appalling and constitutes a crime," a police spokesperson said.
"NT Police urge anyone who witnessed or has information about this assault to report it to the police."
