Probes launched into Australian race riots

A railway station in the inner city suburb of Redfern -- home to much of Sydney's Aboriginal community -- was set ablaze, two cars were burnt out and windows were smashed as 150 drunken youths went on the rampage Sunday.

Eight police were hospitalised, some with broken limbs, after coming under a hail of flying rocks, bricks and petrol bombs in what police described as the worst riots ever seen in the trouble-plagued suburb.

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The violence followed a day of racial tension triggered by the death of 17-year-old Thomas Hickey on Sunday, a day after he was impaled on a metal fence after falling from his bicycle.

His family alleged the accident happened because he was being chased by police, a claim strenuously denied by officers.

One local, Donna, said the community was angry because it believed police were responsible for the teenager's death. "He was murdered," she told ABC radio.

Local residents and Aboriginal leaders lashed out at what they described as ongoing police brutality, harassment and intimidation.

New South Wales state Premier Bob Carr sent his condolences to Hickey's family and said his government would launch separate inquiries to establish how the teenager died and what involvement, if any, police had in his death.

The police critical incident team was also ordered to undertake an investigation overseen by the Ombudsman.

But Carr added: "I've got full confidence in the way police tackled this incident... they have our full backing."

Police in riot gear at first tried to negotiate with angry youths in a three-hour standoff after posters went up around Redfern and leaflets were distributed branding police "child murderers" and accusing them of harassment.