A Bit of Bad News

[A_Wanderer]

Race riots at Cronulla

ANGRY crowds have singled out and bashed people of Middle Eastern appearance at Sydney's Cronulla beach as racial tension erupted into violence.
And an ambulance called to the scene to treat five people injured in today's violence has been attacked by a mob who shattered its windows.

Meanwhile, police have been pelted with beer bottles, and their patrol cars stomped on, as the outnumbered officers struggled to maintain control.

Witnesses saw officers using capsicum spray in a bid to quell those perpetrating the violence.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Goodwin said police were forcing their way through the crowd, trying to prevent further attacks.

He said a number of people had been assaulted but could not say exactly how many. However, an ambulance spokesman said at least five people had been injured.

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It seems that it takes a bunch of skinhead [insert harsh word] to just go off fully and form a violent mob, not that there haven't already been racially motivated attacks the other way around before. to these vile racists.

This article shows the building tensions.

"They're itching for a blue [fight], these Shire boys. For Shaun Donohoe it's war, pure and simple - and it has been a long time coming. "It's been brewing for years." For another local, a teenager surveying the ocean outside North Cronulla Surf Lifesaving Club, it's time for a showdown - though it's not about race, he says, just manners. "They have no respect for anyone." Angered by what they see as an aggressive invasion by youths of Middle Eastern background, these men say they have had enough. After a week that began with the assault of a lifeguard and was punctuated by another brawl and inflammatory rhetoric, the Shire boys are ready to rumble.....

Mr Donohoe, a chef, 24, takes it a step further. "They look down on our women," he says. "They don't really assimilate to our way of life. I've been at war with them for 10 years." For him it all boils down to race and culture. But the suburb has never been a stranger to bouts of tension, whether ethnic differences were present or not.

Mark Goodwin, the assistant commissioner who has co-ordinated the police response, started surfing at the beach when he was 10. There has always been something to disagree about, he says, even if it was just surfers at odds over their stretch of ocean. "There's been tension between locals and people who come from other suburbs for a long time over various issues," he told the Herald. "We're taking it extremely seriously but there needs to be some perspective."

The Mayor of Sutherland, Kevin Schreiber, and the local federal MP, Bruce Baird, agree there have been minor issues in the past, but believe the present problems are of a different order. Mr Baird, who was born in Cronulla, says: "I haven't seen the kind of problems we've got now." The visitors are aggressive, and come armed with "anti-female attitudes". Mr Schreiber attributes much of the problem to male aggression. "I think it's boys being boys," he says, adding that he understands local frustration..."

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[Halifax]

In my view, a dickhead is a dickhead, no matter what race he is. This incident is such a savage blow to those middle eastern immigrants who are just here to peacefully live out their own life.

 

[yolland]

What do the "anti-female attitudes" consist of? Are we talking snide comments (gender-specific racial slurs?) here, or outright assaults?

 

[A_Wanderer]

A blog post (another persons opinion) I came across covered this

AF, I lived in Australia for most of my adult life and I don't think Aussies are particularly racist. But our experiences obviously differ.
What the newspaper reports carefully ignore or play down is the fact that gangs of Middle-Eastern youths have been travelling to beaches such as Cronulla for years now, abusing women and telling them to "get dressed" and calling them names such as "Ausssie sluts". The abuse has recently even extended to little girls.Together with organised Lebanese rape gangs-- which the media reported, but for many months ignored the racist component of the crimes--a lot of Aussies have had enough.
The situation has been inflamed by multiculti luvvies in the media who have pretended that the youths aren't a problem, that racially (or more correctly, culturally) motivated crimes don't exist,unless those crimes are committed by white Australians.
Another aggravating factor has been the behaviour of politicians. Hate speech laws have been used against people speaking about Islam, but not--so far--against muslim clerics and other individuals who incite hatred against their host country.
The anger many feel just boiled over today and no amount of hand-wringing about "the Australian way" by Iemma (who, I believe is the Member for Lakemba..hmmmm) will fix it.

link

and this piece

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.

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Gangs plot attack on Maroubra beach

Daily Telegraph
By GEMMA JONES and DARREN BEHAR

December 10, 2005

MAROUBRA Beach could be the new setting for race riots this weekend after police discovered a text message urging Middle Eastern gangs to start trouble in the Eastern Suburbs instead of Cronulla.

The message urged troublemakers to go to Maroubra beach on Sunday because the heavy police presence at Cronulla would prevent a confrontation.
The development came a day after The Daily Telegraph published comments from the Bra Boys surf gang leader, Koby Abberton warning Middle Eastern gangs to "stay away" from Maroubra.

Cronulla parents yesterday vowed to press ahead with a nippers carnival despite fears that brawls could erupt at the beach.

Cronulla residents yesterday turned on Premier Morris Iemma, accusing him of applying a "Bandaid" to racial problems in the area.

The Premier strolled along the beachfront at Cronulla yesterday calling for calm between local youths and Middle Eastern gangs.

The photo opportunity turned into a nightmare when locals rounded on him.

Resident Terry Hall demanded to know when Cronulla police would be "taken seriously" and given resources to deal with thugs.

John, a local who would only give his first name, shouted Mr Iemma down as he spoke, declaring: "That's a joke. That's pathetic."

"The speech was pathetic. It was political. We respect the police. The gangs do not."

An embarrassed Mr Iemma said police had the resources to deal with the turf war between locals and Middle Eastern gangs.

His advice to those thinking of sparking trouble was to stay away.

Declaring it was "business as usual" on the beach this weekend, Mr Iemma warned: "Police will crack down on any criminal behaviour and offenders will be arrested and and charged."

Geoff, an older resident, said the elderly would join younger locals on Sunday to show solidarity.

"Elderly people feel threatened but want to show support," he said.

The Daily Telegraph

 

[yolland]

About what I figured. Well, no one ought to expect immigrants from such a conservative region to radically transform their sensibilities about what's modest and what's obscene overnight, but taking perceived obscenity as justification for assault and harassment is obviously another matter.

But I suppose that's kind of a moot point, because these "gangs of Middle-Eastern youths" are probably composed of disreputable loser thugs anyway. Not unlike the skinheads.

Sounds like more and better policing at this beach is sorely needed.

 

[Halifax]

In all seriousness, Australia is on the brink of a racial crises that will totally eclipse the whole Pauline Hanson debarcle. I'm a Vietnamese-Australian who strongly believes in multiculturalism, and as things look now, I would hate to see it die.

 

[U2democrat]

This is really interesting...and sad. Keep us non-Aussies posted because we wouldn't hear news from Australia except when a meteor shoots across the sky.