No rent-a-crowd: Brisbane victims of youth crime take to streets

Hundreds of protesters have marched Brisbane’s inner city streets, with many angrily denying they are a “rent-a-crowd” at a victims of youth crime rally.

Hundreds of people gathered in Brisbane on Sunday to protest against youth crime. Picture: Tertius Pickard/NCA NewsWire

Hundreds of protesters have marched Brisbane’s inner city streets, with many angrily denying they are a “rent-a-crowd” at a victims of youth crime rally.

The term was used by a Townsville Labor MP last week to describe a similar rally in that city.

On Sunday, advocacy group Voice For Victims rallied at Brisbane’s Queens Gardens before marching to Parliament House.

Despite the rain, a large crowd from places including Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and Townsville chanted, “Enough is enough,” “Zero tolerance,” and “It is not OK” while they pleaded with the government, saying they didn’t feel safe in their own homes.

The march was the group’s second after a previous rally outside Parliament House in August.

Among the crowd were Russell and Ann Field, who lost their son Mathew and his fiancee Kate Leadbetter who was pregnant with their unborn son named Miles, when they were stuck and killed by a drunk and high juvenile driving a stolen car in 2021.

Many of the protesters were disappointed with the premiers supposed absence with organiser Ben Cannon saying he was told she had other engagements.

Michael Stewart whose 16-year-old son Balin was killed after he was stabbed outside his home said he was disappointed “she didn’t face up to the community and do something about the juvenile crime.”

A protester at the Voice For Victims rally. Picture: Richard Walker

Mr Stewart said the juvenile laws weren’t tough enough, he said if one of her loved ones was stabbed on her front lawn and she had to attempt to resuscitate them “would she think that’s adequate?”

On Sunday, it was announced gel blasters, replica guns and knives would no longer be sold to children under laws proposed by the state government.

A move, Mr Cannon said was a win but there was still a long way to go.

Mr Stewart said any move to restrict knives getting into the hands of youth was a good thing.

“Yes, this law is great. But it’s not the answer. It’s a beginning. And we as a community need to get together and make sure that you know parents do a knife audit,” he said.

“How many steak knives do you have in your kitchen drawer?”

Townsville youth crime victim, Karl Boevink, who was struck by three teenagers in a stolen ute and hospitalised attended the event to unite with other victims across the state.

At a protest in Townsville last week, Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper mocked protesters, calling them “rent a crowd” and bloody “LNP”.

But Mr Boevink said it was against the Australian spirit.

“That was very malice, uncalled for and unprofessional… at the end of the day we are all people, and as a person that is very morally wrong,” he said.

Mr Boevink said the people who attended the Brisbane protest were clearly not a rent a crowd.

Ben Cannon at the Voice For Victims rally. Picture: Richard Walker

And Mr Cannon added: “I’ve got no money left in my sort of pursuit to fix this. So if they’re being paid, it’s not through me.”

He said the fact so many people turned up was a sign that we still need to get this right.

“Today’s not about anything more than letting people have a Voice letting people stand together on an issue that is very personal and is very intimate, the safety in your own home,” he said.

“Nothing is more important than being able to close that door and knowing that you’re safe.”

Mr Cannon said they wanted more support for victim, the day after it happens.

Among the crowd, were victims who took to the stage for the first time, finally getting a Voice and saying their stories.

Leonie Mulheran was in North Queensland for work three months ago when she was chased “many kilometres” at high speeds by nine young kids.

The kids eventually caught up to her, at the lights she slowed down and they opened the doors and assaulted her.

But Ms Mulheran said she always thinks about the incident.

“When you’re a survivor, you don’t realise (the thought) is always there.

“I’m in the middle of the road. I know that I’m hurts and I still cry. I still get emotional. I’m still anxious.

“There’s a lot of things that do go in my head but I do think about it all the time.

Ms Mulheran said she attended the rally to share her Voice and help get the laws changed and victims supported more.