Footage of ugly Flemington fight emerges
Racegoers traded blows as violence erupted at the Uber drop-off zone at Flemington racecourse yesterday. Tensions were high as the app glitched, leaving thousands of punters stranded just as they were heading home.
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Footage of a brawl at the Uber drop-off zone at Flemington yesterday has emerged that shows a group of men attacking each other after the Melbourne Cup.
About five men throw punches as security guards try desperately to pull them apart.
The fight continued even when some of the men were wrestled onto the ground, with punches thrown at victims while they were being held down.
The brawl erupted as tensions were high after a tech glitch meant Uber was not available – just as thousands of racegoers were making their way home.
One man throws a pair of sunglasses aside while another has his shirt ripped at the shoulder. A woman is seen trying to help one of the men up, before being pulled away by another onlooker.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman told the Herald Sun police received a report of a brawl involving a small group of men about 5.45pm.
“The fighting had stopped when police arrived a short time later. There were no injuries and no formal complaint has been received.”
A steady stream of weary racegoers, many shoeless, trudged toward awaiting trains and taxis as the day ended.
Punters were thrown into a panic when rideshare service Uber encountered a glitch just as the festivities were winding down for the evening.
The GPS system shut down, leaving drivers unable to locate racegoers trying to leave the venue.
The malfunction created huge transport problems, adding pressure to the train network as it ferried racegoers from the racecourse.
An Uber spokesperson acknowledged the “frustrating” situation.
“Our priority is transporting people safely and conveniently,” the spokesperson said.
“We rigorously test all our special event technology, but unfortunately on this occasion technical issues have meant that we are currently unable to connect all drivers and riders at the dedicated Uber zones within the Flemington racecourse.
“For that reason we have made the decision to close these zones while we work on a solution.
“We appreciate this has been frustrating for many of our valued riders and driver-partners, and we apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.”
The revelry continued long after the last race, with an intoxicated few removing their shirts and tackling each other on the muddy lawns of Flemington Racecourse.
One man cheered as he rapidly bounced on his backside in the mud.
The show came to an abrupt end when police and security swooped, taking him and another man away about 5pm.
Other drunken antics included men performing their own “human races” trackside.
Police made six arrests at Flemington Racecourse, four for drunkenness, one in relation to an outstanding warrant and one for drug possession – an 18-year-old Buccan man has also been charged with assault police and resist police.
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He was bailed to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on November 27.
Victoria Police and AFP will also investigate a drone which was seized due to unauthorised entry into airspace.