Chaotic scenes erupt at St Kilda beach as police break unruly revellers up

Two teenage boys have been charged over an alleged carjacking as thousands of rowdy revellers flocked to St Kilda beach on Cup Day.

Two teenagers have been charged over an alleged carjacking in St Kilda on Melbourne Cup night, as rowdy beachgoers clashed with police on the foreshore.

It is alleged one of the males jumped onto the bonnet of the car and started kicking the windscreen while the other approached the driver and demanded the car while wielding a knife which was tucked into his pants.

The women vacated the car and the alleged offender got into the driver’s seat.

The other alleged offender jumped off the car and punched one of the women in the head a number of times.

Officers who were in the area at the time raced to the scene upon hearing the women scream and arrested both of the males.

A 19-year-old Taylors Hill man faces a string of charges including an attempted aggravated carjacking, intentionally causing injury, possessing drug of dependence, and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

He will face the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on January 21.

A 16-year-old male has also been charged with attempted aggravated carjacking and intentionally causing injury and will appear at a children’s court at a later date.

The pair were arrested amid growing tensions between beach crowds and police officers and an unruly crowd.

Heated confrontations between the force and some who had gathered at the popular hotspot erupted in the evening after a day where thousands had peacefully gathered to celebrate the Melbourne Cup public holiday.

Footage uploaded to social media shows the Victoria Police mounted brigade charging at a boisterous crowd in the evening.

The moment mounted police charge at rowdy revellers.

Scuffles break out on the waterfront.

Ugly scenes erupt at the popular beach.

A police officer threatens to pepper spray unruly revellers at St Kilda beach.

Projectiles were seen being thrown in the direction of the police horses.

It is not yet known what prompted the ugly scenes to erupt.

Police could be seen threatening the rowdy crowd with capsicum spray.

Police patrol the beach on the Melbourne Cup public holiday. Picture: Aaron Francis

Police are also investigating an earlier stabbing at St Kilda beach and any potential link with this incident.

A 26-year-old Tarmeit man received a laceration to his face.

He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Victoria Police said there were “a small number of people” who engaged in anti-social and violent behaviour along the St Kilda foreshore on Tuesday.

“Police will simply not tolerate those who seek to break the law, detract from the good behaviour of others, and disrupt people who are simply trying to enjoy a day at the beach,” a statement said.

“While we never like to see this kind of behaviour on our beaches, we unfortunately know the likelihood of anti-social and criminal behaviour in these locations increases as the weather heats up and more people congregate.

“The general public can be assured that Victoria Police has significant resources dedicated to keeping our beaches safe and detecting and disrupting anti-social and criminal activity when it occurs.”

Police also arrested a 14-year-old female in relation to an affray at St Kilda Beach, while a number of groups engaging in anti-social behaviour were broken up over the course of the Tuesday.

Investigations into these incidents are ongoing.

In another video, a group of males are captured brawling with one another.

Multiple punches are thrown in the ugly fracas between the shirtless and maskless males.

St Kilda locals have shared their disgust on social media about the chaotic scenes.

“I’m so disgusted,” one said.

Crowds flock to the beach on a hot spring day. Picture: Aaron Francis

“Never seen so many police officers. I’m glad they are out to protect our suburb.”

Others say large amounts of rubbish has been left on the beach and in surrounding gardens.

“Big clean-up job this morning,” another local said.
Port Phillip mayor Louise Crawford slammed the unruly behaviour of the crowd, but said most St Kilda beach goers were well behaved.

“This kind of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable as we want everyone to be able to enjoy our beautiful foreshore over what we expect to be a busy summer,” Ms Crawford said.

“Everyone is welcome to our City but they must follow the rules,” she said.

“Unfortunately, after sunset, large crowds started to gather at South Beach Reserve at the foreshore.

“The St Kilda Foreshore area was busy throughout yesterday and the overwhelming majority of beach-goers were well-behaved,” she said.

The annual St Kilda Foreshore Alcohol Ban came into effect on Monday 1 November.

As part of Operation Summersafe, police roamed the busy beach spot to enforce the ban and manage anti-social behaviour.