Stuart statue unease in Alice - 29th January 2015

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Art Creative Arts Alice Springs

The statue of a 19th Century explorer is causing controversy in the town of Alice Springs.

The statue depicts explorer John McDouall Stuart, the first explorer to travel from south to north across the Australian continent in 1862, carrying a gun.

The statue has been deemed offensive by some residents because it has been claimed that the explorer was involved in at least one massacre of indigenous people.

Six months ago the statue was installed near a park that is frequented by members of the local indigenous community. Today, the statue was moved, but not for reasons that you might think.

(ABC)