Two Melbourne councillors tackle abusive drunk on packed tram

Two city of Melbourne councillors took on an abusive drunk hassling passengers on a tram bound for Taiwanese Mandopop star Jay Chou’s show.

Jay Chou performs with Melbourne busker Mark Balas at Rod Laver Arena. Picture: Supplied

Two City of Melbourne councillors turned good Samaritans on the way to a Rod Laver Arena concert last week, taking on an abusive drunk and dragging him off a tram.

Deputy Lord Mayor Nick Reece and Cr Philip Le Liu were on their way to see the Taiwanese “king of Mandopop” Jay Chou when a rowdy passenger started targeting teen fans.

After attempting to talk to the man, who said he was from Brazil and was severely alcohol or drug-affected, the three men got in a scuffle that ended with them falling to the floor of the tram in front of shocked onlookers.

At the next stop, the councillors managed to drag the man off the tram, where they were assisted by Yarra Trams staff.

Nick Reece said the rowdy passenger was targetting teen fans on the tram. Picture: Jason Edwards

Philip Le Liu helped subdue the troublemaker. Picture: David Caird

Once security from the tennis centre was called, the booze-addled Brazilian fled along the nearby tracks towards Richmond.

When contacted by the Saturday Herald Sun, Cr Reece confirmed the pair had intervened on the tram in a bid to head off a more serious incident, and that he had “busted my thumb” in the process.

He said the man had also been approaching rugby league fans who were on their way to the Melbourne Storm game at AAMI Park, and several people on the tram sensed that there was a powder keg ready to explode.

“You could smell the alcohol on him and he had wild eyes,” Cr Reece said.

“My heart was beating, you sort of think ‘this could go anywhere’, but I’m not a small guy and thought I could handle myself.

“Everyone on the tram was signalling to each other for people to help deal with the situation.”

It wasn’t the first time in office that Cr Le Liu has had to deal with a hostile situation, after he was targeted during Covid-19 while carrying a box of donated masks into Town Hall.

Once Cr Reece and Cr Le Liu had dusted themselves off and made it to Rod Laver Arena, they saw Chou and Melbourne busker Mark Balas wow a packed house.

Mr Balas had been spotted by Chou — one of the biggest stars in Asia — while entertaining Melburnians in a CBD street, and was invited on to stage during the gig.

In a post to social media Cr Reece says the concert was live streamed and was seen by 100 million people in Asia, which was “bigger than Taylor Swift, the Grand Prix, or AFL Grand Final!!!”.