Violent street fights in Townsville, Palm Island caught on camera
Violent footage has emerged online of brawls, many involving women and even children, hurling punches and pulling hair on the streets of Townsville and Palm Island.
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Violent footage has emerged online of brawls, many involving women and even children, hurling punches and pulling hair on the streets of Townsville and Palm Island.
The YouTube channel, which launched at the start of the month, documents dozens of fights centred around Indigenous communities in Queensland.
The channel has 64 of these violent videos which were shot on mobile phones by bystanders, with seven titled as being fights in Townsville and Palm Island.
Palm Island Police Acting Senior Sergeant Jonathan Searle said he was not aware of the videos but any acts of public violence were dealt with “as serious” by police.
“We don’t advocate the filming or uploading of these fights because they’re obviously criminal offences,” he said.
Palm Island fights captured on film have been investigated in the past.
This includes a shocking clip showing two juveniles going toe-to-toe in December 2018, with the minute-long video showing the pair landing a number of blows to the face in front of a group of onlookers.
Palm Island Police Station officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant David Rutherford has previously denied fights watched on by large groups were common on the island.
He previously told the Townsville Bulletin the fact the fight was filmed was just a sign of the modern, digital era.
“Most people walk around these days with a video camera in their pocket,” he said.
“I think it’s part of modern age that these sort of things can be instantaneously broadcast to the world.
“I don’t think it’s unique to Palm Island. I think … this is across the world these things are happening.
“Any violence in our streets is concerning whether it’s recorded or not.”
A sleuth of other brawls have been investigated around Townsville and Palm Island over the years.
YouTube states contributors should not post content of fights involving minors, street fights, physical attacks, or footage showing bodily fluids such as blood with the intent to shock or disgust.
YouTube has been contacted for comment.
Originally published as Violent street fights in Townsville, Palm Island caught on camera