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| Down Under |
| 25 injured as Australian race riots spread |
| 2005-12-11 |
| MORE than 20 people have been injured and 16 arrested as race-fuelled violence spread through Sydney's beachside suburbs overnight. A series of apparent revenge attacks - including two stabbings - happened after yesterday's unrest at Cronulla where more than 5000 people had massed. New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma today said police were in control of the situation, after officers and an ambulance crew were earlier assaulted during the peak of racial tension. Drunken mobs within the crowd at Cronulla yelled racist chants, chased down and bashed people of Middle Eastern appearance in an extended show of violence. As the unrest spread overnight, a total of 25 people - including two ambulance officers - had been injured, about 40 cars vandalised and an Australian flag burned. Police said 16 people were arrested across Sydney and charged with 42 offences. Mr Iemma today described the behaviour as "stomach turning" and said it would not be tolerated. "I saw yesterday people trying to hide behind the Australian flag, well they are cowards whose behaviour will not be tolerated," Mr Iemma said. "That was the most disgraceful, disgusting behaviour that I've ever seen." Mr Iemma said he planned to bring together community leaders for discussions about how to prevent further violence. Police had the resources and the equipment to deal with the violent scenes, he said. Police were forced to use capsicum spray and batons in their battle to subdue the Cronulla rioters, who pelted officers with bottles and stomped on patrol cars. Later, a 23-year-old man was injured and more than 40 cars smashed with baseball bats in an apparent revenge attack at Maroubra, in Sydney's east. A group of about 60 men of Middle Eastern appearance and armed with baseball bats smashed the windows of parked cars about 9pm (AEDT). The group then clashed with local gang, the Bra Boys, outside the Maroubra Bay Hotel. A 23-year-old Maroubra man was taken to Prince of Wales hospital after he was stabbed with a sharp implement, believed to be a stick or nail, in the hip. Later, a second 23-year-old man was stabbed in the back by a group of males, described as being of Middle Eastern appearance, at a golf club at Woolooware, in Sydney's south. He was taken to hospital in a serious condition. Riot police were also called to Brighton-le-Sands, in Sydney's south, overnight to control a group of about 200 brawling youths who had reportedly thrown projectiles at police. Twelve people were arrested at Cronulla. They will face Sutherland Local Court at a date to be fixed. |
| Posted by:Oztralian |
| #17 Don't know about you, but I call 5,000 a mob. Like I said, it sounds like these particular thugs deserved it. I offer them no sympathy - nor any of their commrades or apologists. It just saddens me to see all of this sprialing out of control, regardless of the reasons or justness of the cause. The emotions expressed on this beach are not going to be subsiding any time soon. It's not a good thing - no matter how satisfying it may be to see a small token of payback. What this means is that the violence level has, predictably increased. We will win the war on terror. But things are going to get much worse before they get better. Lots of people will get hurt. I don't feel in the mood to celebrate. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-11 23:45 |
| #16 Annoushka: 2b, if you think Aussies are interested in pogroms, you need to try and find a different dealer. Let's see - Middle Easterners stab two Australians and destroy 40 cars. I guess you're right - that's a pogrom - by Middle Easterners against Australians. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2005-12-11 21:52 |
| #15 The koran empowers ALL muslims to be thugs. We should respect the muslim's god-given right to act like an ass-hole. Its all written in the book so its okay. Just be glad they don't have any bombs yet. |
| Posted by: Chealet Omoluque9403 2005-12-11 21:35 |
| #14 NICOLLE Dunk has been swimming at Cronulla since she was a toddler, but now the 17-year-old refuses to go to her favourite beach alone. She has been harassed and assaulted by thugs of Middle Eastern descent who come to The Shire to threaten and intimidate. "They kick sand into your face and scream the most disgusting abuse for no reason at all. A lot of locals are too scared to surf down here any more," she told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. The big question is, how long has this been going on? Allow an unpleasant situation to continue for long enough, and the people that have gritted their teeth and toughed it out will eventually get fed up. Anyone in Sydney who is genuinely surprised by this development obviously hasn't been paying attention. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-12-11 21:31 |
| #13 and...I'm not saying that you were saying that all Muslims are thugs! I just felt the need to make the point! Sorry if it seemed I was directing it at you. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-11 21:01 |
| #12 two-byfour these are not anti-muslim riots. They are anti-thug riots. The KKK claimed to be Christians and to speak for all whites. Yet they were just evil thugs. Yes, I know, it's more complex and dangerous with the Muslim religion, but we should not lose sight of the fact that not all of the billions of Muslims are thugs. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-11 20:59 |
| #11 2b, good points. As someone farsighted already said years ago, "this whole PC May have been PJ O'Rourke, but I wouln't swear on it. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2005-12-11 20:57 |
| #10 Ok..it sure sounds like the bastards had it coming and I feel no sympathy for them. I hope they get hounded until they and their families feel compelled to go back to the hell-holes they wish to create. No, I don't think the Aussies are interested in pogroms - but let's face it, after what has happened in France, the lack of adequate response by authorities, hamstrung by PC addled politicians, it's not hard to see this turning ugly if the authorities can't get it under control. The irony is, once again, that the PC types refusal to meet unacceptable anti-social behavior with adequate force will make a huge freaking mess and lots of innocent people will get hurt. And the whole time that they are allowing the peaceful conditions to go to hell, they will tell us how peace-loving they are. Grrr. This is going to be a great Christmas. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-11 20:51 |
| #9 Race riots? Let's not get confused here. Anti-muslim riots. Muslims are not a race. 2b, yes, some middle eastern looking people got hurt, but they are not white lilly blameless. They do -- nothing, despite that the thuggish youts, that were the initial factor in the whole bandoogle, are from their community. |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2005-12-11 20:38 |
| #8 However, another Aussie blogger (a woman) links to this newspaper article from Dec 7th: Gangs turn Cronulla beach into war zone By LUKE McILVEEN and GEMMA JONES December 07, 2005 NICOLLE Dunk has been swimming at Cronulla since she was a toddler, but now the 17-year-old refuses to go to her favourite beach alone. She has been harassed and assaulted by thugs of Middle Eastern descent who come to The Shire to threaten and intimidate. "They kick sand into your face and scream the most disgusting abuse for no reason at all. A lot of locals are too scared to surf down here any more," she told The Daily Telegraph yesterday. As police played down a culture of gang violence at one of Sydney's best known beaches in the wake of the bashing of three North Cronulla lifesavers last Sunday, locals told a different story. Ms Dunk, along with friends Leiden Kronemberger and Dean Apostolidis, both 16, said yesterday the gangs had disappeared after the bashing but would return when publicity died down. "They come from Hurtsville and places like that and they always come in numbers. They don't mind having a go if they can hide behind their friends," Dean said. Another Cronulla local told how little girls taking part in swimming lessons at the beach were warned to keep their sun protection shirts on as they left the water after thugs called them "little tarts". Others described the abuse of a pregnant woman because she was taking up room on a stair way to the beach as one of the most shocking recent incidents at the beach. The father of a 16-year-old girl said she had been too afraid to return to the beach after she and two friends were asked if they were virgins by a group of men. When she failed to respond the gang told her she would be carried off the beach and it was only when she spotted a friend nearby that the two girls were able to escape. Locals said the behaviour of aggressive groups of youths of Middle Eastern descent had become progressively worse in recent years. "I am not racist against their ethnicity, I am reacting to their behaviour," one surf life saving source said. "There are a lot of people who go to the beach just to have fun and do the right thing." It can also be confirmed that Sunday's brutal attack was not the first, with a council lifeguard chased by a machete wielding man two years ago. Now, I haven't a clue about this particular newspaper and any slant it might have. But it does sound like a serious, growing problem that was allowed to simmer because it stayed below the radar horizon until the lifeguards were attacked. |
| Posted by: lotp 2005-12-11 20:17 |
| #7 Aussie blogger/journo Tim Blair isn't impressed with the rioters. |
| Posted by: lotp 2005-12-11 20:00 |
| #6 2b, if you think Aussies are interested in pogroms, you need to try and find a different dealer. |
| Posted by: Annoushka 2005-12-11 19:27 |
| #5 Red Dog's link in his comment on the other post today provides some background: A stand against beach thugs By ANITA QUIGLEY December 10, 2005 A YOUNG woman this week told a TV camera crew of the intimidation she has experienced on Cronulla beach. "They'll stand over you while you're sunbaking, block your sun so they get your attention, then say, 'She's not worth doing 55 years for'," she told them. For those unsure of what these lowlifes are referring to, it's the length of the prison sentence which was given to Sydney's infamous gang rapist, Bilal Skaf. Our senior police officers have referred to them in the past as "entrepreneurial criminals". By this they mean they will form loose associations with others in the criminal milieu to take part in just about any illegal activity. Taskforce Gain was set up after a spate of drive-by shootings in Sydney's south-west and continues to target Middle Eastern criminals involved in drugs, car rebirthing and extortion. You name it, and these men are into it, so it seems.For those unsure of what these lowlifes are referring to, it's the length of the prison sentence which was given to Sydney's infamous gang rapist, Bilal Skaf. Now, even the most quintessential Australian pastime - spending a day at the beach - is at risk from these youths looking to cause nothing but trouble. North Cronulla beach has been the scene of two incidents in the past week - an attack on two lifeguards on Sunday, reportedly by a gang of Middle Eastern youths, and a brawl later in the week. The beauty of this island continent we call home is the equality our shores offer - literally. Here in NSW we don't have private beaches. Go to Bondi most mornings and James Packer, the son of Australia's richest man, can be enjoying the waves next to you. The officer leading the crackdown against the youths, Assistant Commissioner Mark Goodwin, was right when he spoke out this week. "The Australian way is about coming to the beach with your towel and sunscreen, and maybe a book, and lying back and relaxing," he said. "It's not about congregating and swarming in groups for any sort of anti-social behaviour." >context: the Muslim thugs were swarming the beaches in gangs before the Aussie kids reacted. Now Premier Morris Iemma has promised the law will come down hard on those causing trouble. And what of these Middle Eastern youths' families, and community leaders? They must have more than an inkling that many in their community are up to no good. I can no more offer answers than the next person as to why this generation of men feel the need to be so anti-Australian. But anyone who can attack a lifesaver - or shield those responsible - deserves nothing but our contempt, and to face the full consequences of the law. This is not to condone mob attacks on any mideasterners in the area. OTOH, it does show that there is a lot more going on than the specific attacks by mideasterners on 2 lifeguards. There has, it would seem, been an escalating pattern of threatening and sometimes criminal behavior by gangs of them. As a woman who made it through a rape attempt, I can say that the comments reported here are intended to frighten and intimidate -- and are degrading beyond belief: "They'll stand over you while you're sunbaking, block your sun so they get your attention, then say, 'She's not worth doing 55 years for'," she told them. This incident won't blow over quickly, I fear, if the story quoted here is true. |
| Posted by: lotp 2005-12-11 19:25 |
| #4 I must add the disclaimer that I have personal reasons to feel concerned. If the bastards deserved it, fair enough, got what they had coming to them. But just grabbing random people off the streets and beating cause they look a certain way them is a bad thing. It's just a bad thing - no matter what. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-11 19:15 |
| #3 not to be a party pooper - but I don't like this at all. On one hand - it's better than what's happening in France and on the other, it's a short step to pogroms. Innocent people get hurt in pogroms. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-12-11 19:11 |
| #2 Beware the Australian Street. |
| Posted by: Ulosh These3775 2005-12-11 18:50 |
| #1 "The group then clashed with local gang, the Bra Boys, outside the Maroubra Bay Hotel." I'm getting a strange visual of that particular clash. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2005-12-11 18:35 |