Up to 100 youths involved in St Kilda foreshore fracas
The uncle of one of the three men bashed and robbed by a group of about 20 youths at St Kilda’s foreshore says his nephew could have been “one blow” away from death. The attack is connected to a brawl involving up to 100 youths.
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Three men have been bashed and robbed by a group of about 20 youths amid violent scenes at St Kilda foreshore on Saturday night.
The victims were ambushed and one was knocked unconscious and then kicked on the ground outside St Kilda Life Saving Club about 11.30pm.
A 24-year-old Burwood East man and 26-year-old Wheelers Hill man were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
POLICE ARREST TWO ON ST KILDA FORESHORE
The man who was knocked unconscious had his phone and wallet stolen.
A third man, a 20-year-old from Vermont South, suffered minor injuries but declined treatment.
His uncle said his nephew could have been “one blow” away from death.
Clen Kipp told the Herald Sun: “This was three innocent kids just walking along the beach that were jumped.
“Not only was my nephew attacked but his friend was kicked unconscious. When someone’s head is being kicked in like that it’s only a question of a blood clot in the brain and it’s all over,” ” Mr Kipp said.
“How can we keep letting this happen?”
Mr Kipp, 60, who previously worked in the security industry, said the trio had been left traumatised by the brutal assault.
“They are all pretty busted up. These are just kids walking along, having a nice night with ice-creams and a mob just attacks.
“How many more people are going to be hurt before someone says enough is enough.
“I’m just shattered because I have seen what it is like; the physical, psychological and emotional damage that can be done.
“Until someone close to you get hurts you just don’t understand — this has got to stop.”
Southern Metro Region police Acting Superintendent Mark Langhorn said the attack was related to brawls that broke out along the beach.
Those responsible for the robbery have yet to be arrested.
They were described as young men of African appearance.
The three victims were not known to their attackers.
“We believe the robbery is linked to the same group of youths,” Supt Langhorn said.
“It was all part of the same series of events.”
“The main victim was kicked to the ground. His friend intervened and received cuts and bruises to his eyes, a third friend received a swollen lip.”
City of Port Phillip mayor Dick Gross said there was essentially a partial ban on drinking on the foreshore, with possible changes to be debated this week.
“There’s a window between, in the afternoon, of allowing people to drink on the foreshore the question is do we get rid of that window. And that will be decided on Wednesday,” he told 3AW this morning.
He said on Saturday night: “We got mixed messages (from authorities) about whether alcohol was involved”.
“We have to sort this out; sometimes violence occurs for reasons other than alcohol and sometimes it’s directly linked.”
UP TO 100 YOUTHS INVOLVED IN ST KILDA BRAWL
Two people were arrested as up to 100 youths were involved in a brawl on Beach Rd on Saturday night.
The huge group, of mainly African appearance, gathered next to Donovans restaurant before the chaos began about 11.30pm.
One man, seen lying on the ground, was being treated by paramedics shortly before midnight.
Two other men — one with a cut above his eyebrow — could be seen holding ice packs against their heads as they spoke with police.
Supt Langhorn said: “It’s concerning for us that this event has occurred again.”
“We did have a really heavy police presence down there last night so it’s unfortunate these incidents still occur because we felt like we were on top of it.”
Supt Langhorn defended the fact that only two of the group were arrested at the scene.
“We’re very pro-arrest for these sorts of incidents. If we get someone actually committing an offence or causing trouble, we will prosecute.
“The two arrested last night were found to be committing offences. I guess the situation is it’s just a large group of kids, they’re not drinking, not doing anything. Those that do commit offences were prosecuted and charged.”
Police have charged a 19-year-old Truganina man with assaulting police, making threats to kill, possession of cannabis and breach of bail.
He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.
A second man was interviewed and released pending summons in relation to possession of a prohibited weapon.
— Did you witness the incident? Email news@heraldsun.com.au
ANGRY CHEFS, WAITERS READY TO DEFEND AGAINST YOUTH GANGS
Police Minister Lisa Neville condemned the violence.
“This behaviour is completely unacceptable,’’ she said.
“Police responded quickly and the investigation is well underway with offenders already identified and arrested.’’
She said Victoria’s Public Order Response Team had been beefed up recently “to quickly and effectively shut down this kind of offending behaviour”.
“The Government, Victoria Police and local traders have worked together to install new CCTV along the foreshore area with a further $275,000 allocated for the Acland Street precinct,’’ she said.
Police have vowed to be out in force on the St Kilda foreshow this summer as part of Operation Sandsafe, a summer initiative focusing on public order, preventing theft of personal property and road safety.
It includes local police and state-based specialists, such as public order police, mounted branch, water police and the dog squad.
WITNESSES DESCRIBE ‘INTIMIDATING’ SCENES
Eyewitness Paul described Saturday night’s behaviour as “intimidating”.
“I saw young males chanting and dancing in the car park at Maccas,” he said.
“They were getting pretty worked up and seemed pissed. I could sense potential trouble.
“The behaviour was intimidating.”
A woman, who asked not to be named, said she saw some of the youths attack three men.
“They threw them on the ground and kicked them,” she said.
“One of them looked like he was unconscious.”
The Herald Sun also witnessed a young man punch a woman in the face as the youths congregated near the surf life saving club.
Others joined in the fray, but the fight was broken up before about 40 police officers arrived.
The large group fled, stopping oncoming traffic as officers made chase.
Acting Supt Langhorn said alcohol wasn’t a contributing factor to the brawling or the robbery.
“They were well behaved until this incident occurred,” he said.
“They were sitting around talking.
“There were lots of little groups that sort of came together and got to that 100 number.
“It was very quickly that the group of African-Australians got together, there was a smaller group down there but then they started arriving throughout the night. They hadn’t been there drinking or anything like that.
“Everyone was sort of well behaved. It’s just when a large group came together, the trouble was caused among their group and that flowed on to the public.
“All of a sudden, we saw an influx of youths coming to the beach and that’s when they got together. We were able to break them up pretty quick but the flow-on effect is there was a robbery down the road.”
Earlier on Sunday morning, Victoria Police Inspector Janine Denton said booze-fuelled brawlers were responsible for the chaos.
“A group of men, young men on the foreshore, got rowdy and then began to fight,” Insp Denton told radio station 3AW.
“We do believe alcohol is a big factor in some of the anti-social offending in the area and we’re working with the council in relation to that.”
She said officers assigned to Operation Sandsafe were in the area at the time and were able to respond quickly.
“We jumped on it straight away,” she said.
“At any point we deploy down there (in St Kilda) during the summer months especially and we identify high-risk days and times. We were down there last night and I can say when the report came in that the anti-social behaviour occurred we jumped on straight away.
“We had a report of a group of youths on the foreshore starting to fight, Sandsafe Operation kicked straight in and we have arrested two people in relation to that.
“We put a lid on it very, very quickly.”
ST KILDA TRADERS CALL FOR BOOZE BAN RETURN
Traders in St Kilda are worried and wearing the cost of security arrangements amid escalating summertime violence in the area.
President of St Kilda Tourism and Events Travis Atkins said traders were concerned ahead of summer.
“There’s certainly concern about staff safety and business when it’s warm,” he said.
“Traders are reporting intimidating activity.”
Mr Atkins said some traders were having to foot the bill to enhance security arrangements to protect staff and patrons.
“It is the minority who are wrecking it for everyone else.
“Police were already on high alert … it could have been a lot worse.”
Mr Atkins said at Wednesday’s council meeting there was a proposal to reinstate a controversial alcohol ban.
“Residents, traders at the St Kilda community want this to go through,” he said.
“If it doesn’t, council will have a serious problem on their hands.
“There is going to be significant issues which will put us in the global headlines.”
Police Minister Lisa Neville called on Port Phillip Council to take swifter action to avoid public disturbances in the area.
“Council’s inaction on alcohol bans along the foreshore continues to frustrate Victoria Police’s efforts to keep the public safe,’’ she said.
City of Port Phillip mayor Dick Gross told 3AW on Monday morning that a complete review of “what’s happening on the foreshore” would go ahead on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately I can’t say anything, really, until then,” he said.
He said the violence was “unacceptable”.
“Our council is very disappointed about Saturday night’s incident,” he said.
“While we welcome visitors, violence is unacceptable.
“We know Victoria Police is taking this law and order issue very seriously through measures including St Kilda foreshore patrols under Operation Sandsafe.”
Convener of Friends of St Kilda Hill Darren Robinson lives two blocks from Donovans and said the recent spike of crime was a concern.
“It is a worrying trend,” he said.
“We need to say enough is enough.
“We see an influx of people (over summer). Sometimes they have too much of a good time with alcohol and that’s when the behaviour starts.
“It’s damaging the area … we want to enjoy St Kilda.”
Mr Robinson said he wanted council to reinstate the alcohol ban over summer.
“We just can’t afford to have our police diverted to these incidents,” he said.
“We want to see the behaviour changing.”
It comes less than a fortnight after armed riot police surrounded groups of young people on the beach, as gatherings got out of control.
A teen allegedly threw a rock at police during the incident last month. About 150 youths were involved in the unruly behaviour and many had been drinking.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.