Geraldton peaceful rally held in memory of Indigenous men missing across WA led by Brenton Shar’s family

The loved ones of missing Geraldton man Brenton Shar gathered to express the shared pain felt by the families and friends of missing persons at a peaceful protest on Wednesday morning. Friend of Mr Shar’s family Kayla Mills spoke to the crowd of about 30 people in Geraldton about the grief experienced by his relatives in the three months since his disappearance. “This family needs answers to grieve,” she said. Ms Mills said the family had been largely left to their own devices, taking the search into their own hands and door-knocking, visiting locations Mr Shar frequented, and making posters. “This family has stood on their own for the last 3½ months, trying to get support, trying to get answers for their loved ones,” she said. Ms Mills said there needed to be greater resources put towards finding the father of six and better mental health support services for Indigenous men. Mr Shar, known as “BJ” to his loved ones, was last seen by his father, leaving his dad’s Rangeway address about 10.30pm on May 1, and was reported missing on May 9. Specialist divers from the Perth-based water police searched waters off Midalia’s Beach in Beresford after Mr Shar’s partner Kasey Burns found a pair of black shorts belonging to the missing 37-year-old on the rock groyne on May 12. Let’s Bring Them Home protests have been hosted in Geraldton, Broome and Port Hedland for multiple missing Indigenous men across the State. Mr Shar, Zane Stevens, Jayo Rivers, Wylie Oscar, Clinton Lockyer and Wesley Lockyer were all named on banners which decorated Edith Cowan Square, where the Geraldton rally was held.