'Rumours' of riot convoys
From: By staff writers
December 16, 2005
POLICE are investigating reports that interstate recruits ready to join in fresh racially motivated violence are arriving in Sydney by the bus and carload.
The Australian reported that youths and ethnic "lions" from Melbourne are believed to be heading north intent on creating more mayhem.
New South Wales police today described the reports as "unconfirmed rumours" but said they were being investigated.
Overnight a police task force arrested 19 people as unrest again spilled onto Sydney streets with an elderly man bashed with a crowbar, a Molotov cocktail thrown at police and one officer injured in a brawl.
The arrests were made by officers attached to Operation Seta, created following a race riot at North Cronulla Beach in Sydney's south on Sunday and days of retaliatory attacks.
Assistant commissioner Dave Owens said police used increased powers rushed through NSW Parliament yesterday to set up check points on a number of main thoroughfares in Sydney's southern suburbs.
A Molotov cocktail was thrown at police in "a disturbing incident" at Dickens Road, Ambarvale, south west of Sydney, about 10pm (AEDT), he said.
"Police conducted a search of the area and located a number of other incendiary devices and what appeared to be stockpiled stones," Mr Owens said.
Although no arrests were made over that incident, two men, aged 24 and 23, were charged with making explosives with intent ot injure after police found seven molotov cocktails in a Cronulla unit, about 6pm.
A 46-year-old man was also charged with common assault after an elderly man was bashed with a crowbar by a group of men at Riverwood in Sydney's south west about 7pm (AEDT).
Police were also called to shopping centres at Marrickville, Castle Hill and Newcastle where crowds of men had gathered.
They were dispersed without incident, but a police officer was injured as he broke up a brawl at a shopping centre in Wetherill Park about 8.30pm.
An 18-year-old man was charged with a range of offences including two counts of assaulting a police officer.
Shortly before 10.30pm, police were also called to a fast food outlet at Parramatta where 23 car loads of men in a carpark were threatening patrons with baseball bats.
A 22-year-old man was arrested after he was allegedly found with a hammer and screwdriver.
He was charged with possessing offensive weapons.
Two other men, aged 19 and 25, were also arrested about 6pm as they tried to drive into Cronulla "to help the cause", Mr Owens said.
They were charged with a range of offences including driving a stolen car and drug possession.
Police say they are continuing preparations for the weekend in case of more violence.
Police numbers will more than double from the 450 last weekend to 1000 on Saturday and 1500 on Sunday.
NSW Parliament yesterday passed the Law Enforcement Legislation Public Safety Act 2005, giving police increased powers to lock down some suburbs, close pubs, enforce alcohol bans and confiscate cars.
Premier Morris Iemma recalled Parliament from its summer break after rioters attacked people of Middle Eastern descent at Cronulla on Sunday, and members of Sydney's Lebanese community carried out apparent retaliatory attacks on Sunday and Monday nights.
Expectations among the young Lebanese community in western Sydney that further trouble will develop over the weekend comes despite calls from their religious leaders, police and politicians for both sides to calm down.
One 22-year-old ethnic Lebanese man said yesterday he and his friends were ready for a turf war. "The boys reckon it'll be like a scene out of Braveheart," he said.
Sources within the Lebanese community said three busloads of young men from Melbourne - Lebanese, Serbians, Italians and Greeks - and more than 30 carloads were expected to arrive in Sydney today and tomorrow.
"I've talked to a few mates in Melbourne and I know that some of my other buddies have too," said a 29-year-old Lebanese man from Lidcombe, in Sydney's west.
"We're expecting about 30 cars and a couple of busloads of Leb, Serb, Italian and Greek lions to punch on with us."
A Melbourne nightclub bouncer of Bosnian extraction also said word was "getting around" about groups of young men heading to Sydney to fight.
A Victorian police spokesman said the force was "monitoring the situation" but had no specific information about the plan.
Prominent Melbourne Muslim leader Waleed Aly yesterday discouraged his community from joining the fray. "It's a stupid thing to do," he said.
Gold Coast police are also bracing for trouble on Sunday, boosting on-duty numbers after text messages urged locals to "crack some skulls".
Police contingency plans have been made despite Queensland Premier Peter Beattie's view the text messages were a hoax.
Link:
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17585887-2,00.html
My pledge to all--no more 10,000 word posts!
The pot calling the kettle black?.......
LEADERSHIP REQUIRED TO CREATE CALM
14 December 2005
AAC
The Australian Arabic Council (AAC) today voiced concern and alarm at reports that text messages are remaining to circulate in Sydney and spreading to Melbourne and other Australian cities.
Speaking for the AAC, Chairman, Roland Jabbour said the riots, must be condemned by all, recognised for what they are as ‘racially motivated’, and long-term not quick fix solutions found.
“These events of the last few days have exposed the anti-Arab racism that exists in Australia.”
“Arab Australians have had to cope for sometime with vilification, racism and abuse after numerous international and domestic events. We are more than anybody aware of the fringe elements of society that have racist agendas and prejudicial propensities.”
“This reality must now be recognised by political leaders and government agencies as a significant impingement on the rights of Arab and Muslim citizens.”
“The AAC has for some time predicted the occurrence of events over the last few days. We are now concerned that similar sentiments and ‘calls to action by people with racist agendas’ are now spreading to Melbourne and other cities.”
Denial by political leaders that racist sentiments could have boiled over into ugly violence ignores the historical context of events in Australia. The AAC through research and its racism register can clearly record the growth in anti-Arab sentiment fuelled by domestic and international events:
1. Early 90’s: First Gulf War
2. Mid 90’s: Rise of Pauline Hanson, One Nation and xenophobia
3. Late 90’s: Adoption of refugee policies by federal government, and detention of Muslim and Arab ‘unwanteds’
4. 2000: Al-Aqsa Intifada and conflict in Palestine and Israel
5. 2001: September 11
6. 2001-02: Sydney gang rape issue
7. 2002: Bali Bombings
8. 2002-05: ‘Be alert not alarmed’ campaign
9. 2004 Local terrorist investigations and arrests
10. 2005: London bombings
11. 2005: Local terrorist arrests
12. 2005: Anti-terrorism legislation
13. 2005: Warnings by police commissioners of remaining terrorist threat in Australia
Mr Jabbour added: “For some time politicians and media commentators have been fanning the flames of racial tension and finger pointing. The results speak for themselves! It the past we have raised concerns that this type of event would occur.”
“It is time that political leaders and media commentators took some responsibility for the current climate of fear and hatred and show some courage to deal with the real issues in a cooperative manner rather than scapegoating communities.”
“It is important that both sides of this tension keep some semblance of rationality and coolness over the next few days”
“In responding to the violence we commend the role of NSW police in maintaining an even-handed approach and neutrality that does not take sides”
“While we support the introduction of new police powers, it is time governments, took these concerns seriously, and found long-term solutions to the issues that addressed the causes and not just the symptoms.”
“To this end we are calling on National and State leaders to convene a national conference that brings law enforcement agencies, government departments, academics, political and community leaders together to discuss and formulate responses with mutual goals.”
“Real solutions that bring diverging views together must be sought with long term answers and strategies found. It is not good enough to keep responding to these issues with short term fixes.”
“The Australian Arabic Council calls for calm and restraint from all members of the community in light of recent events.”
For further comment or information contact: Deputy Chair, Taimor Hazou on 0439 635 163 or the AAC on 03 9381 0055 or 0413 219 141 - www.aac.org.au
Hammers, screwdrivers and crowbars, the most basic of weapons, for a battle that is going to be bloody.
This is so unreal, that it can't be happening in 2005, a scene from a horror movie.
I am still saying prayers of thanks that we did not get the same after tookie died, it was such a perfect spark for an event.