WA Police review use of force after officer filmed pushing 63yo woman in Karratha

Posted Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 6:25pmFri 11 Sep 2026 at 6:25pmFri 11 Sep 2026 at 6:25pm, updated Fri 11 Sep 2026 at 6:38pmFri 11 Sep 2026 at 6:38pmFri 11 Sep 2026 at 6:38pmLoading…

Police in Western Australia are reviewing whether use of force was justified after a video appeared to show an officer push an older Indigenous woman to the ground in the state’s north.

The altercation happened outside a block of units in Karratha on Tuesday morning, and led to four people being charged, including the woman herself.

The video does not show what led up to Beverley Hubert, 63, being pushed to the ground by one of the officers.

However, Ms Hubert said she and other family members intervened after police arrived at the units to arrest her 33-year-old nephew, an arrest she alleged was heavy-handed.

Her nephew is facing a string of charges including criminal damage and reckless driving.

“We sort of got up and went towards them, rushing towards them, I was dawdling across because I didn’t have a walker, but I managed to walk across slowly,” she said. 

“That bloke walked up, telling me to back off. [He] pushed me over.”

Ms Hubert said she fell on her backside and her head hit the gravel, although the camera pans away from her at that point.

The video also showed people being pepper sprayed, as well as another woman pushing the same police officer as Ms Hubert remains on the ground.

Swearing and verbal abuse directed at police can be heard, as well as a woman identifying herself as the woman’s daughter, saying Ms Hubert was a dialysis patient.

Police to review incident

In a statement, WA police said they called an ambulance after a 63-year-old woman fell over, but she declined their assistance.

She has been charged with assaulting a public officer, as well as two other women aged 31 and 56.

A police spokesperson said officers utilise “a range of less lethal tactical options to support officers in resolving incidents safely while minimising harm”

“Police are trained to apply the minimum force necessary and to continually reassess and de-escalate where possible.

“Any use of force must be justified, proportionate and necessary in the circumstances, and is subject to mandatory reporting and review.“

The 33-year-old man who was arrested was facing four charges and two additional charges were laid after the incident, including obstructing a police officer.