‘Free Transport, Full Communism’: Cowardly vandals encourage attacks on rail staff

POLICE are hunting a group of violent thugs who are inciting members of the public to physically attack transport officers, ticket inspectors and rangers.

Cowardly vandals terrorise rail staff

• GIRL GANG SHOWN IN VICIOUS RAILWAY ATTACK
• TRAIN STAFF: MORE THAN 20 ASSAULTS PER WEEK

POLICE are hunting a deranged group of thugs who are inciting members of the public to physically attack transport officers, ticket inspectors and council rangers.

The cowardly vandals are also urging people to destroy train and bus ticket machines, Opal card readers and parking meters.

Going by the name Free Transport, Full Communism, the anarchist group also encourages public transport passengers to refuse to pay fares.

Rail staff have already been suffering a high rate of violent attacks / Stephen Cooper

The group, which police have yet to track down or identify, has been plastering anti-establishment posters near train stations throughout the inner city.

Under the heading “Transport Officers Are Scum” and an image depicting two ticket inspectors with telescopic rifle sights on their faces, the poster refers to an anarchist website called “disaccords” which uploads articles about people rebelling against government.

“Spit venom and throw bricks at Transport Officers, Police, Rangers and every other stooge physically enforcing capitalist law,” it says.

The posters, which have been shared by thousands of Facebook users, have caused alarm among police, state and local government and transport and police unions, who fear people’s lives are at risk.

Rail staff have already been suffering a high rate of violent attacks. About 80 per cent of train guards and close to two-thirds of staff on Sydney stations have experienced confrontations with violent or aggressive customers, according to a rail union survey.

And crime figures from NSW Police show about three people a day, staff and passengers, are assaulted on the city’s stations and trains.

Head of the Police Transport Command Max Mitchell confirmed rail officials and police in the Joint Transport Intelligence Group were searching for the anarchists.

Transport Minister Andrew Constance was appalled by the posters: “It’s disgusting to see material like this distributed in our community.”

Rail Tram & Bus Union state secretary Alex Claassens described those ­behind the poster campaign as “grubs”.

Police Association president Scott Weber described the use of violence as cowardly. Police have asked the public for help in finding the group. Please call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

One of the group’s posters at Newtown Station.