Victoria Police has confirmed it has refused to overturn traffic fines for several mourners caught by red light cameras during Indigenous singer Archie Roach's funeral procession.
Police issued seven infringements to people who were part of the funeral cortege in Melbourne in August.
Red light offences in Victoria attract a fine of $462 each.
Three of the fines were reviewed by Victoria Police, but were not overturned due to what police called the seriousness of the offence.
Uncle Archie died in late July, and a funeral procession was held in Melbourne just over three weeks later.
His body was then driven back to Gunditjmara country in south-west Victoria.
His hearse, flanked by Indigenous motorcycle club the Southern Warriors, made its way through the streets of Fitzroy and Collingwood, where the singer spent his youth.
The red light camera activation happened in St Kilda between Fitzroy and Princess streets.
In a statement, Victoria Police said it offered assistance to funeral organisers for the funeral cortege's movement through Melbourne, but the offer was declined.
Club president says he sought police help
Southern Warriors president Ralph Hume disputed that police had made the offer.
"In fact, we initiated conversations with Aboriginal liaison officers in regards to the movement of the motorcade in Melbourne," he said.
Mr Hume said the group had no help from police in Melbourne, but once they reached Warrnambool, in south-west Victoria, police had blocked some roads to make way for the cortege.
He said the vehicles were travelling at 5 kilometres per hour or less, and said he believed the hearse carrying Uncle Archie was among the vehicles fined.
Mr Hume said the way Victoria Police had managed the situation would worsen the relationship between police and the Aboriginal community.
"Vic Pol are talking about reconciliation and have done some fairly good work over the years to bridge gaps and awareness within our Indigenous communities right across Victoria," Mr Hume said.
"This is just more of a gap that has been created between Vic Pol and community."
He described the fines being issued as "heart-wrenching".
"It shows that there's huge gaps between Indigenous people and Vic Pol not understanding cultural responsibilities and the [determination] of our people to take care of one of our own," he said.
Mr Hume said he believed the fines should be waived.
"This is not just fines in the mail. This is a social justice issue," he said.
"This is, you know, ongoing division between government and Aboriginal people in this state"
