Sydney Race Riots...

[Hitman]

The few remnants that remained from yesterday's race-motivated unrest included some broken bottles and an Australian flag perched atop a pine tree.

A series of apparent revenge attacks – including two stabbings – occurred overnight following the unrest at Cronulla, where more than 5000 people gathered yesterday.

Drunken mobs within the crowd yelled racist chants and chased down and bashed people of Middle Eastern appearance at the beach in an extended show of violence.

Police and an ambulance crew were also assaulted as racial tensions peaked.

A total of 25 people, including two ambulance officers, were injured and about 40 cars were vandalised at Maroubra as the unrest spread to other beachside communities.

Police said 16 people had been arrested and charged with 42 offences. A strike force has been set up to track down the "thugs and hooligans" responsible for inciting the racial violence at Sydney's beaches, the New South Wales Premier said today.

Police would be using video and photographic evidence that appeared in the media today to help identify those behind the violence, he said.

"Let's be very clear, the police will be unrelenting in their fight against these thugs and hooligans," the Premier said.

Prime Minister John Howard, at a separate press conference, condemned the violence. He said attacking anyone on the basis of their race or ethnicity was unacceptable.

More than 20 people were injured and 16 arrested as violence spread through Sydney's beachside suburbs overnight following a demonstration at Cronulla where more than 5000 people gathered, chanting racist slogans and assaulting anyone of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance.

A series of apparent revenge attacks - including two stabbings and the wrecking of cars - continued through the night.

The violence has drawn condemnation from Mr Iemma, police and community groups. Some involved in the trouble have been identified as being associated with neo-Nazi groups and seen distributing extremist literature....

http://www.news.com.au/



FUCKING DISGUSTING...

[Chantel]

This whole thing makes me physically ill.

I can't believe that people are still so ignorant, stupid, narrow-minded and prejudice - especially in Australia where I've been brought up knowing that Australia is a multi-cultural country.

It's disgusting and embarassing and NO ONE is in the right in this situation...

[Hitman]

Werd.

There is NO excuse for this kind of behaviour, from ANYONE.
If I had been down at Cronulla that day I would have gotten my ass kicked, just because of the way I looked, even though I grew up and have lived here in Australia for 30 years, not to mention I also went to school and lived in the Shire.

It's fucked up...

[Chantel]

More violence erupts in Sydney streets
Tuesday Dec 13 07:00 AEDT
New text messages, including one declaring war between Sydney youths of Middle Eastern origin and white Australians, were being circulated as a second consecutive night of mob violence broke out in the city's south.

Seven people were injured, cars and shops trashed, and rocks and flares hurled at police as a new wave of unrest hit the city overnight in apparent reprisal attacks for Sunday's race riot at Cronulla, where alcohol-fuelled mobs chased and bashed people of Middle Eastern appearance.

Eleven men were arrested.

There were reports several men gathered outside the mosque were carrying Glock pistols.

Rocks and flares were thrown at police trying to disperse the group, and a female constable was injured when a projectile struck her leg.

Police were also hit with projectiles as a crowd of about 100 people gathered for a second night in Brighton-le-Sands, in Sydney's south.

Two police cars were damaged and rubbish bins were thrown at shopfronts as officers attempted to control the crowd.

A family was forced to move out of their apartment after their five-month-old son narrowly escaped being injured when a bottle was thrown through their apartment window, shattering the glass.

The violence followed clashes in Cronulla on Sunday night.

Sixteen people were charged in relation to Sunday's violence, when a 5,000-strong alcohol-fuelled mob, some waving flags and chanting racist slogans, attacked people of Middle-Eastern appearance.

The trouble was sparked by an attack on surf lifesavers at the beach the week before, and text messages calling for retaliation.

New text message warnings

Police are braced for further violence after new text messages inciting more violence reportedly began circulating yesterday.

One of the new messages congratulates white Australians for the fight they put up against the youths of Lebanese origin at Cronulla during Sunday's riots, and called for more attacks.

"We'll show them! It's on again Sunday," The Australian newspaper reported the message said.

Another warned of retaliation from the Middle Eastern groups.

"The Aussies will feel the full force of the Arabs as one - 'brothers in arms' unite now..." it read.

Another called for "straight up WAR. The lebs/wogs won't stand for this."

The Australian reported that the latest round of text messages fuelled last night's violence.

Fresh violence at Cronulla

About 50 men last night arrived at Cronulla in cars before rampaging through the beach community, smashing car windows and shopfronts with baseball bats.

Gunshots were heard near the Northies Hotel, opposite north Cronulla beach, where some of the worst violence was seen on Sunday.

Officers managed to take control of the situation at Cronulla by midnight (AEDT).

Meanwhile, more than 30 molotov cocktails and crates of rocks were found during a rooftop search at south Maroubra, not far from where a mob smashed car windows on Sunday.

Cricket bats, rocks and iron bars were also confiscated by police monitoring about 100 people who gathered near Maroubra beach.

Six people were arrested at Cronulla and on the Kingsway, in nearby Caringbah, after shops and vehicles were attacked.

Two men and three youths were arrested at Maroubra beach after police discovered a replica pistol in the bushes.

Police said the injured included a Bexley couple attacked as they left a restaurant in Caringbah about 10pm (AEDT).

A 35-year-old Lansvale man suffered head injuries and severe facial bruising after being attacked at a youth hostel at Caringbah. He was taken to Sutherland hospital in a stable condition.

A 45-year-old Cronulla man suffered broken ribs and head injuries when he was attacked as he put his rubbish bin out on the street, as his 10-year-old son watched on in horror, Nine Network News reported.

A 51-year-old Woolwooware man suffered a broken arm after he was attacked with a baseball bat at Cronulla.

Details of the seventh person's injuries could not be confirmed.

Police have formed a taskforce to try to prevent a repeat of Sunday night's riots, which have been condemned by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=76953

There are quite a few video and related article links including foreign media coverage...

[Chantel]

Trad, Bra Boys hold Sydney peace talks
Tuesday Dec 13 10:41 AEDT
Lebanese Muslim leader Keysar Trad and Maroubra's surfer gang, the Bra Boys, are attempting to broker a peace deal between rival groups following race riots in Sydney.

Mr Trad, president of the Islamic Friendship Association, and two Bra Boys leaders, Koby and Sonny Abberton, have held talks about ways to encourage people to stop the violence.

Mr Trad said the Bra Boys were one of the most multicultural groups of surfers in Australia and showed people from all backgrounds could enjoy the beach.

"They (the Bra Boys) expressed their outrage at what happened at Cronulla and they expressed their support and appreciation for the Middle Eastern community," Mr Trad told AAP.

"They have many friends who are from a Lebanese and Middle Eastern background and of various religions, so they want peace.

"I have to say that I respect the petitions that they have made and I hope that society will heed this message."

The Lebanese community condemned the violence, Mr Trad said.

"We have always condemned the ... violence or anti-social behaviour on the beaches or anywhere else," Mr Trad told Channel Nine earlier.

"What you are seeing today is people who are trying to ... heal the rift and to bring society together and show everyone that we can stand together united against violence and welcome everyone to the beaches and say that the beaches are a public space for everyone to enjoy."

Mr Trad said he did not know who was responsible for circulating new text messages, including one declaring war between Sydney's youths of Middle Eastern ethnicity and Australians.

The new messages follow a round of similar ones sent last week, calling for retaliation after an attack on surf lifesavers at Cronulla on December 3.

"People who make messages like that are not helping the situation, in fact, they are the ones who are the real criminals in this," Mr Trad said.

"These messages are out of place in Australian society, they incite the sort of violence that we have seen and what we need to do is send messages of friendship and goodwill rather than messages of hate."

Eleven men were arrested as a new wave of unrest hit the city overnight in apparent reprisal attacks for Sunday's race riot at Cronulla where alcohol-fuelled mobs chased and bashed people who they believed were of Middle Eastern backgrounds.

[Chantel]

Something really quite scary...

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=77000


I can't believe some of the views of these people....

[craigwardo]

Come on - you both can't be so naive as to be suprised by this?
Racism has, and always will be adament in Australia's culture.

You just can't change some moron's POV.

They are all fucked I agree, but to be shocked by it shows stupidity.

[Hitman]

Who said I was shocked or surprised?

[Chantel]

Come on - you both can't be so naive as to be suprised by this?
Racism has, and always will be adament in Australia's culture.

You just can't change some moron's POV.

They are all fucked I agree, but to be shocked by it shows stupidity.

It's stupid to think that we can live in our 'lucky' country without this sort of violent mob behaviour?

Yes, there has always been prejudice... but NOWHERE NEAR the extent of what has been happening over the last week.

Racism has, and always will be adament in Australia's culture

It is this very attitude, Craig, that will make it a guarantee .

Once people can understand and learn AND EXPRESS that Racism DOES NOT have to be part of ANY culture - only then will it not exist.

[Dom]

I'll be quick because I'm going back to work.... I think racism has always been an issue in this country, and an issue that should of been dealt with a long time ago. Even now, Howard and the government are trying to deny it. But that does not justify what's going on.

I agree that all of this is disgusting, it makes me ashamed of Australia. Though, like a lot of things, it's a fucking dumbarse minority that's ruining it for everyone else.

Word is that the army is going to get involved...