Darwin alderman and mayoral candidate Gary Haslett has posted photos of himself battered and bloodied to social media, after he said he was bashed and robbed at Casuarina Square Wednesday afternoon “partly because” his assailants knew he was running for council.

He said his injuries will require surgery.

“Our streets are not safe,” he wrote.

“I’m posting this from my hospital bed. I have multiple fractures to my cheek bone and will need to undergo surgery.

“It is not safe to go near the bus interchange at Casuarina or shop at Woolworths.”

Mr Haslett added that he believed he was “targeted partly because I had my election signage on my car” and thanked police for arriving quickly.

“The police were there in minutes and did a great job,” he wrote.

“But what will happen once they catch them? How many more people will they bash and how much compensation from the governments Will the (sic) get for being in the system. I hope this makes sense and there are not too many errors. But I can only half see out of one eye with broken glasses.”

It’s not the first time Mr Haslett, who is running for mayor in the Darwin Council election on August 28, has been affected by crime in the community.

In December 2020, Mr Haslett had his car windows smashed out by a woman wielding a chain with a lock on it while he was at a Palmerston McDonald’s. The woman was later arrested and charged with criminal damage.

Police asking witnesses to make contact with any information about the attack

NT Police later released a statement to say they were still investigating the incident involving Mr Haslett.

Police said Mr Haslett was allegedly approached in the underground carpark at the Woolworth’s end of Casuarina shopping centre “by a group of youths, who allegedly threw a bottle and kicked the man’s vehicle and then proceeded to assault him when he stopped to confront the group”.

“The victim took himself to hospital for medical treatment, at which time he realised he had also been robbed during the incident,” said Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Brett Cottier, but did not disclose what was taken.

“Investigations are underway and police are calling for anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward by contacting 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”

The reference number is 9755400.