Mother of Aboriginal man injured in apparent vigilante attack condemns Facebook abuse

A Noongar woman whose teenage son was seriously injured in an apparent vigilante attack says she has been threatened and abused online, but has urged supporters not to retaliate.

Ronaldo has been charged with a number of offences including aggravated burglary and stealing offences. He appeared in court last month and has been remanded to Hakea prison.

His 17-year-old friend has also been charged in relation to the incident.

Last week Guardian Australia reported that a WA community Facebook group with tens of thousands of members had hosted threatening comments that Aboriginal people in Perth said fostered a climate in which vigilante violence was accepted.

Penny said no one should break the law, including her son and his friend, but the same applied to the woman who chased them.

Penny said she had forgiven the woman and would not respond to online threats or remarks in support of vigilantism.

Perth parents say hostility and violence towards young Aboriginal people accused of being involved in crime is being fuelled by racist comments in Facebook community groups.

She said people on social media were becoming emboldened to suspect young people of criminal activities without any evidence.

Concerns were raised recently at a meeting between Aboriginal community elders and Blanch and other senior officers.

Donna Nelson, who works with children and runs a community basketball program, said young people and their families were afraid.