Dozens of protesters gathered outside Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre to voice concerns over the treatment of detainees following last week’s riot involving 47 inmates.

Among those at Sunday afternoon’s rally were prominent critics of the youth justice system and relatives of young people locked up in the detention centre

Tension flared between some of the 50 or so protesters and the less than 10 police officers who were in attendance.

But although officers were shouted at, there were no physical altercations and an Aboriginal elder was able to calm the crowd down.

Last week’s riot began on Tuesday night and took roughly 14 hours to quell. It led to Premier Mark McGowan making some of his strongest comments on the issue — which many at the rally rejected.

The premier’s remarks included likening the riot to a “form of terrorism”, and initially describing foetal alcohol spectrum disorder as an “excuse”.

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The relative of an inmate at Banksia Hill, who can’t be identified, recounted her reaction seeing the riot unfold.

“I was petrified, I was shouting at the TV, ‘Don’t move, don’t move, somebody’s going to get killed, they’ll shoot you. Don’t move,'” she said.

“It keeps rewinding back in my head. The kids lying there, face down.”

Calls for more involvement from Aboriginal groups

Human rights lawyer and Indigenous activist Hannah McGlade spoke at the rally.

She described the police response to the riot as “intimidation and violence”, and reiterated concerns of detainees being in solitary confinement.

“Solitary confinement is prohibited for children and young people by the UN human rights law system and that is because it is dangerous for children and young people,” she said.

“It can lead to very serious outcomes, including risk of suicide, including psychosis.

“I think it’s very silly to say they weren’t in lockdown that day when we actually know it’s been day in day out weeks and months of lockdown which has of course impacted their behaviour.”

Ms McGlade also commented on the appointment of former mental health commissioner Tim Marney earlier this month to a role that would oversee a new model of care for young people at Banksia Hill.

Ms McGlade said a collaborative approach was vital to its success.

“We’re saying it won’t work unless there’s a partnership approach with Aboriginal people. That is fundamental. It’s also our right because it’s predominantly Aboriginal children here,” she said.

Activists who spoke at the rally also included Megan Krakouer, who called for a parliamentary inquiry into the conditions in Banksia Hill, senior Noongar man and traditional custodian Jim Morrison as well as human rights campaigner Gerry Georgatos.

System improving every day: Premier

Speaking earlier on Sunday, WA Premier Mark McGowan said the government’s aim was for the juveniles in Banksia to turn their lives around and “get on a pathway back to a better life”.

He said the system in place was “improving every single day”, and said government spending on the facility would have to go up following infrastructure damaged that occurred in the riot.

“We’re spending $105 million on improvements at Banksia Hill,” he said.

“That’s additional services, an Aboriginal services unit, additional psychological services, improving the facilities additional crisis care units, and the list goes on.

“I now think that the time for inquiries is over. I’m pretty sick of inquiries … It’s up to the people involved to take steps to turn their own loss around.”

Addressing some of the commentary around the riot, Mr McGowan said the guns that were pointed at the detainees were “bean bag weapons, not actual rifles”, and the facility was fully staffed the day of the riot, with inmates undertaking barista training and a footy game with a private school.

Older Banksia Hill detainees to be moved to adult prison

The premier also flagged changes to the allowable age of detainees at Banksia Hill.

“We’re going to introduce some laws that will mean that those ones who are 18 to 23 — there’s actually a 23 year old in Banksia Hill with 13-year-olds. We’re going to change that, they will go to adult prisons.”

Breaking down some of the figures around who was at the centre during the riot, the premier said 30 of the 47 rioters were on remand, and one in six of the detainees — 15 out of 87 — have FASD.

He said six were being held over homicide related charges and 15 for sexual assault.

Three inmates involved in the riot were moved to Unit 18 in Casuarina Prison.