16 arrested after police assaulted, cars damaged at Logan YouTuber Spanian event

Sixteen people are now facing 50 charges following a Logan hooning event that showed ‘a blatant disrespect for the police’ sparked by a controversial YouTube star’s visit.

Police have arrested 16 people on 50 charges following a hooning event at Waterford West, sparked by a YouTuber on March 9.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Brendan Blyth from Logan Criminal Investigation said a multidisciplinary team had investigated anti-social behaviour, hooning, serious assault of police and the wilful damage of three police vehicles.

Hundreds of people blocked streets in Logan on March 9 during a visit from notorious YouTube star Spanian.

Videos shared to Instagram showed a huge crowd lining Bourke St in Waterford West as multiple burnouts were performed.

One of three men who police said might be able to assist in their investigations into a large hooning event and wilful damage of police vehicles, that occurred in the vicinity of Waterford West on March 9. Picture: QPS

Police vision released the following day appealed for “information to identify several people as they continue their investigations into a large hooning event and wilful damage of police vehicles”.

Multiple crews attended from Logan, Gold Coast and South Brisbane districts, as well as specialist officers.

Spanian, whose real name is Anthony Lees, has leveraged his gritty former life to attract a large following on social media.

The 36-year-old makes a YouTube series called Into the Hood, where he travels to so-called notorious neighbourhoods ranging from Alice Springs to a slum in Bulgaria.

Crowds ambush a police car at Logan on March 9.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Brendan Blyth said the behaviour of those involved was “terrible”, and police would hold them to account.

“I think it’s really distasteful … that’s why it’s important that we brought together this operation and identified those responsible and held them accountable,” Acting Senior Sergeant Blyth said.

“I think that kind of behaviour in any setting is terrible and shows a blatant disrespect for the police … it just won’t be tolerated.”

Investigations into social media influencer, Spanian, were ongoing, he said.

“Investigations into that particular social media influencer are ongoing at this stage,” Acting Senior Sergeant Blyth said.

“If people do attend these events, it’s really up to them to control their behaviour.

“Social media influencers aren’t going to be sitting beside them if they have to go to court … so I think it’s just important that they need to behave.”

Co-ordinated search warrants were carried out across Beenleigh, Beaudesert, Regents Park, Loganlea, and Woodridge as part of Operation Whiskey Hurricane

Some of those charges include an 18-year-old Park Ridge man charged with one count each of possessing dangerous drugs, dangerous operation of a vehicle, participating in group activities for racing, burn out, or other hooning offence, possess utensils or pipes etc that has been used and evasion offence.

A 20-year-old Waterford West man has been charged with one count each of wilful damage of police property, commit public nuisance, enter premises with intent to commit indictable offence and unlawful photographing, filing or publishing for racing, burn out or other hooning offence.

A 28-year-old Beenleigh man has been charged with two counts of wilful damage of police property and one count each of possession of property suspected of being property which the proceeds have been converted, possessing dangerous drugs, possess utensils or pipes etc that had been used and contravening order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.

Superintendent Mark Thompson said the large group of individuals engaged in alleged dangerous driving behaviours, committing multiple traffic-related offences, and placing members of the public at significant risk of injury.

“These activities are not just reckless; they disturb and endanger the lives of the community and cause significant property damage,” Superintendent Thompson said.

“This behaviour will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be held accountable.”