Hero mum Michelle Hanna who stopped wild brawl shares shopping centre fears

An Adelaide mum who went viral for breaking up a wild fight inside Tea Tree Plaza says security guards should be given extended powers to keep shoppers safe.

• Hero mums speak on teen fight

A hero mum who helped break up a wild fight between teenagers inside Tea Tree Plaza says security guards should be given extended powers to keep shoppers safe.

Michelle Hanna became an accidental influencer this week after footage of her breaking up the brawl went viral on social media.

While she said she felt “no fear” about stepping in to help, she said shouldn’t have to – and that shopping centre security guards need more power to stamp out anti-social behaviour.

“In a shopping centre during school holidays, there are always ratbags hanging around,” she told The Advertiser.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen next.

“But when it comes to security, the guards can’t actually do anything,”

A fight between youths at Tea Tree Plaza spills over into the Mimco store. Picture: TikTok / huri640

Michelle Hanna helped break up the fight at TTP.

Mrs Hanna, a mother-of-three from Salisbury Heights, said when witnessing the brawl she thought of her own children, and became angry shoppers were exposed to such violence at the busy centre.

“When I saw it happening, I thought ‘I’m not going to stand by and watch’.

“If someone was doing that to my kid, I would want someone to step in and help.

“Plus, there are elderly people here, there’s babies, there’s young kids. They don’t need to witness this.

“Security guards should be intervening – but they can’t physically touch people, even though they’ve got bullet proof vests on.

“Their powers need to be extended.”

'They had one boy on the ground and they were kicking him and stomping on his head so that is when I ran over': A fearless northern suburbs mother has told 7NEWS how she rushed to break up a violent teen brawl at Tea Tree Plaza. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/eIZIxIC3Dm

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) January 10, 2025

Police said they’re still investigating the incident, which they believe involved up to six people.

“Investigations regarding this incident are continuing, with a number of those involved having been identified,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

“Any violent or anti-social behaviour in a public place will not be tolerated and those involved may face further police action.”

The spokesperson heaped praise on Mrs Hanna and the other women who helped.

“Police would like to thank those members of the public who stepped up and assisted during the incident.”

The sentiment was echoed by Premier Peter Malinauskas who thanked the women for stepping “up to the plate.”

‘I pass on my thanks’: Premier Peter Malinauskas has praised two brave women who quickly stepped in to break up a vicious brawl between teenagers at busy Tea Tree Plaza. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/0zcaDMHWuk

— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) January 10, 2025

Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association SA secretary Josh Peak said anti-social behaviour had “no place” in shopping centres.

“Shopping centres should be safe places for customers and workers,” he said in a statement.

He urged the government to pass Workplace Protection Order laws to deal with incidents such as these.

In November last year, security guards who spoke to The Advertiser detailed how shopping centres were becoming “more dangerous than Hindley St”.

Jason and Tom*, who spoke on the condition of anonymity following a series of armed incidents at Elizabeth, Marion and Bondi Junction in Sydney this year, said they had confiscated knives, which was against policy.

Speaking at the time, Westfield’s parent company Scentre Group said safety and security was its “highest priority”.

It said security guards were “not law enforcement”, were required to “observe, report and escalate any incidents to authorities” and provide support to emergency services.

Anyone who witnesses anti-social behaviour is urged to call police immediately on 131444 or triple-0 (000) in an emergency.