Dramatic citizen’s arrests in Moonee Ponds after alleged stabbing

A cafe owner has recalled the moment a hero citizen used a chair to overcome a knife-wielding man, one of two separate citizen’s arrests that played out on a busy shopping strip in Moonee Ponds in Melbourne’s north.

Brave bystanders have carried out two separate citizen’s arrests in a day of drama in Melbourne’s north, one of which involved the man allegedly stabbing a local trader in the neck before yelling “Allahu Akbar”.

Dramatic footage of one of the incidents shows three bystanders tackling a man to the ground after he yelled “Allahu Akbar” and allegedly stabbed a man in the neck and chest on Homer St near Moonee Ponds Central shopping centre.

A 44-year-old Essendon man suffered minor injuries in the attack.

In a separate incident, a knife-wielding man was seen banging on the window of a cafe as customers barricaded themselves inside.

A brave citizen later charged the alleged attacker with a chair, knocking him to the ground and disarming him outside Lil Kitch cafe on Puckle St.

Both incidents played out an hour apart, at 3.30pm and 4.30pm, on Monday afternoon.

Three men wrestle an alleged stabber to the ground near Moonee Ponds Central shopping centre. Picture: Supplied

The alleged offender yells ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he is held down. Picture: Supplied

The incident was one of two citizen’s arrests in Moonee Ponds on Monday. Picture: Supplied

The accused in the Moonee Ponds Central incident, Abdulalim Taher, 55, appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

The court heard Mr Taher had a previous schizophrenia diagnosis and he was ordered to be seen by a custody nurse.

His matter was adjourned until Wednesday.

He is facing charges of recklessly cause injury, intentionally cause injury and assault with a weapon.

In relation to the Lil Kitch incident, a 37-year-old Ascot Vale man is expected to be charged on summons with possessing a controlled weapon.

Moonee Valley Mayor Ava Adams praised the bravery of the everyday hero citizens.

Cr Adams, who witnessed the alleged stabbing attack near Moonee Ponds Central, said she recognised the victim as a local trader.

Cr Adams said she was “proud to be the Mayor of Moonee Valley” after witnessing the locals step up to help.

“We have got a really wonderful community,” she said.

“Our community members really do look after each other.”

‘Allahu Akbar’ before alleged stabbing

The alleged stabbing occurred after two men — who are not believed to be previously known to each other — were seen arguing on Homer St about 4.35pm Monday.

Bystanders intervened after the attack and footage revealed the alleged offender yelling “Allahu Akbar” (God is most great) as he was held down.

In the past, Allahu Akbar has been heard being shouted prior to terror attacks.

Counter-terrorism police were alerted to the incident and patrols were stepped up in the Moonee Ponds area.

But police said they believed the incident was isolated and not terror-related, noting there was “nothing to indicate that any ideology is behind the attack”.

“We have nothing to indicate that it was religiously or politically motivated,” Acting Inspector Raj Tillekeratne said.

Witness Liam Clifford told 7News the alleged stabber appeared to only start yelling “Allahu Akbar” once he was pinned down.

“He was calling it over and over again, he just wouldn’t stop,” he said.

“I think it was in response to getting tackled.

“It was scary.”

A woman who works at a chicken shop on Homer St said she heard screams outside the shop during the stabbing.

“I walked out after hearing screams and shouting,” she said.

“I saw a man held down to the floor.”

A man was stabbed in the neck during the incident. Picture: 7News

Police at the scene on Monday. Picture: 7News

Lan Duontu, owner of Amie Vietnamese Kitchen, said she saw the victim confront the alleged attacker.

“He (the victim) went to get the knife, only him, then two more (people) come to help him,” she said.

“I just saw them hit together, then the (victim) went down … he had a lot of blood on him,” she said.

Brave citizen takes out man with knife

In a separate incident, video revealed a man charging a knife-wielding offender with a chair and knocking him to the ground outside the Lil Kitch cafe.

The man with the chair was joined by other bystanders in detaining the man until police arrived.

The bystanders jumped into action after the man threatened customers of a cafe with a knife, banging on the glass door as patrons held it shut.

In a separate incident another knife-wielding man was taken down. Picture: Supplied

The man is hit by a chair outside a cafe on Puckle St. Picture: Supplied

The man’s knife is removed. Picture: Supplied

Marcellino Bidawid, whose father has owned Lil Kitch for a decade, said the attack unfolded about 3.30pm when a customer screamed out that a man had a knife.

“All of a sudden one of our customers just screamed out ‘he’s got a knife’, and that’s when a dad and another customer held the door shut,” he said.

“He was holding a knife with him and he punched our door three or four times … he picked up our tables and the chairs and he’s just thrown them onto the road”.

A passerby intervened, throwing a chair at the man and performing a citizen’s arrest before police arrived, Mr Bidawid said.

“There were two little boys at the door… they were lucky the dad was able to hold the door shut”.

“There’s a lot of young families here … they shouldn’t feel unsafe walking down Puckle St.”

Marcellino Bidawid, whose father owns Lil Kitch, says children were in a cafe at the time of the alleged attack. Picture: Aaron Francis

Fed-up local Mick, who has lived in Moonee Ponds all his life, said he no longer feels safe in the “out-of-control” area.

“This isn’t good enough, this is terrible … does someone have to die before something’s done?” he said.

“More police presence, more undercover, more patrols — something has to be done before something bad happens”.

“The knife situation in Victoria is out of control.”

On Tuesday morning, police confirmed they responded to reports that a man had knife at a Puckle St cafe.

“It is alleged the man was behaving erratically outside a cafe on Puckle St,” police said in a statement.

“Good Samaritans were able to subdue the man until police arrived and arrested him.

“There were no injuries.”