Judging from the comments on the BBC site there's more to the story than just this particular action... something about gangs on the beach. However, I'm also thinking that there's an element of Paris copy-cat (although it's reversed and more targetted instead of just violence in general).
But this news surprised me. Thousands of white males in daylight on a beach in Australia? What's going on down there?
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BBC Radio this morning pointed out the irony of white males going to the beach presumably to get a tan yet acting out violently against people because they presumably don't need one.
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Race Riot: When members of one ethinc or racial group damage property and people to show their displeasure at another ethnic or racial group.
Usually the minority or second class racial group riots because they are not allowed any other form of political or social justice. However majority groups have rioted in the past to destroy and demoralize the minority groups in order to "Keep them in their place."
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Thanks, I've heard the term a lot, but it always seems to be something you're expected to know, not need to be explained to you.
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From what I heard on NPR - they were broadcasting the BBC - there was an incident on a beach where a bunch of Lebanese were playinga very unruly game of soccer and were asked to leave by the lifeguards, who they then attacked. According to the Australian reporter they were talking to, this is a big cultural no-no. He made lifeguards out to be an important cultural symbol. Anyway, after this event, a group of white Aussies went out and attacked anyone who looked middle-eastern. And now there was a face-off between a group of whites and a group of Lebenese/middle easterners. The police cordoned off both groups, but the middle easterners apparentlythen jumped in a bunch of cars and went on a rampage.
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Lifeguards are a *huge* cultural symbol in Australia. They have lifesaving clubs and competitions that are extremely prestigious. It's an honor to be considered good enough to participate in one, much less win. And I'm sure you have to belong to one in order to actually guard a beach.
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Note: I still think the riots are horrible, but the part about the lifguarding culture is true, and threatening one could be viewed as a general provocation.
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At the time I heard the BBC report, they were just reporting the second part (the Aussies attacking anyone who looked Middle-Eastern). I hadn't heard any of the other details.
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From what I read, there's no confirmation that the lifeguards were attacked by a Lebanese group, but that even was followed by a cell phone coordinated riot where whites ran through the streets bashing in windows with bats all over. Cops ran in to get people that looked Middle Eastern out of danger and then Lebanese groups arrived and the fighting started with cops in the middle.
Also to be noted is that I think eight of the people killed in the Bali nightclub bombings were from that specific area of Australia.
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What happened: On December3, two surf-lifesavers were assaulted at Cronulla Beach. As AJ said, lifesaving is a big thing here. All surf lifesavers are volunteers, and they do save lives. People get sucked into rips all the time, and these volunteers are vital in keeping our beaches safe.
By all accounts the assaults were completely unprovoked. They were carried out by men of middle-eastern appearance.
This followed complaints from locals that Lebanese gangs had been coming to Cronulla and harassing swimmers and lifeguards. It should be noted that Sydney has had some racial tensions in the past, most notable after a series of horrific gang rapes (on young teenage girls) perpetrated by gangs made up of middle-eastern men and teenage boys. All the perpetrators have been trialed, convicted and jailed, but some tension remains.
Anyway. On Sunday (11th December) a peace rally was held at Cronulla Beach. Lots of people turned up, and it started off as it was intended to – peacefully. However as the day wore on, and more and more alcohol was consumed the mood started to get violent. Various text messages were sent telling people to come and give the “lebs” what they deserves and other racial slurs. Tension was no doubt heightened by the presence of a right-wing, neo-nazi Australian “patriot” group which believes in a white Australia.
quote: EXTREMIST groups accused of links to neo-Nazis have admitted mobilising more than 100 people to attend the riots in Cronulla. Jim Saleam, the New South Wales secretary of ultra-nationalist group Australia First, said his members had recruited up to 120 people for the rally but denied they were involved in violence. "We do have some local supporters and these guys mobilised their family friends, mates, work-mates, associates, every Jack and Harry, to come," he said. NSW Police Minister Carl Scully confirmed that extremists had taken part in the riots. "There appears to be an element of white supremacists and they really have no place in mainstream Australian society," he said. "Those sort of characters belong in Berlin 1930s." Skinheads wearing boots, braces and neo-Nazi emblems were among the mob of 5000. Three far-right organisations -- Australia First, The Patriotic Youth League and the Newcastle-based Blood and Honour -- handed out pamphlets.
A group of white men started attacking two middle-eastern men on a train – it was very vicious. There was footage on the news and it was pretty sickening. A policeman entered the train and beat off (literally, with a baton) the mob and protected the men. Other middle-eastern men were attacked and took refuge in various shops. The police got the pub (bar) and liquor shops around the beach to close, but the crowd kept drinking and getting more unruly and out of hand. The police had to get into riot gear, bottles were thrown and several police and ambulance officers were assaulted.
Then, as words got out, groups of middle-eastern men started “revenge” attacks in other suburbs – more mob violence. Smashing windows and punches mostly.
In the whole thing, two people were stabbed. No-one was shot, it was mostly assault by punching/kicking etc.
Last night reprisal attacks happened again:
quote: The trouble began last night when a group of 200 mostly Muslim men gathered at Lakemba Mosque, in Sydney's south-west, apparently after rumours that an attack on the building was imminent. 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. At Cronulla, about 50 men arrived in cars last night 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. 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.
Basically I think it’s a bunch of idiots (on both sides) taking the opportunity to behave like mobs. I am sure that alcohol was a contributing factor on Sunday, but the unfortunate reality is that racism is present in some facets of Australian culture. Gang warfare is also a reality in Sydney, though it’s usually not so open.
The police are cracking down big-time, so I hope it all calms down.
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