Charges laid after YouTuber Spanian meets fans in Logan, Queensland

An Aussie rapper and YouTube star whose trip to a “hood” in Brisbane sparked wild clashes with police has sent a fiery message to his critics.

An Aussie rapper whose “Into the hood” YouTube series sparked wild scenes as hundreds of youths clashed with police has issued a defiant message to his critics.

Two men were charged on Sunday after cop cars were damaged when specialist officers were called to Logan in Brisbane’s south-east during a vist by the social media sensation.

Anthony Lees, better known by his social media moniker Spanian, has built up a huge online following with his music and documentary-style vlogs in struggling suburbs around the world.

Hailing from Sydney, Spanian spent over a decade behind bars for offences including drug dealing, assault, and robbery.

Spanian, who has a criminal past, has garnered an online following by recounting his criminal history. Picture: Instagram/ Spanian

The former criminal turned social media star has amassed a hefty following of over half a million on Instagram and accumulated an impressive 83 million views on his YouTube series, ‘Into the Hood,’ in which he explores dangerous neighbourhoods across the globe.

Footage circulating on Instagram this week depicted a sizeable gathering in Waterford West in Logan, where multiple burnouts were being performed as Spanian took his web series to the troubled locality.

However, the atmosphere soured as the gathering, characterised by locals as an “eshay” event, escalated, according to police reports, drawing approximately 350 attendees.

Two young men have been charged with serious offences following an incident during a visit by the famous YouTube personality Spanian in Waterford West, Queensland.

Police released video footage and appealed for information to identify individuals involved in what they termed a ‘hooning event’.

In response, police released video footage on Sunday, appealing for information to identify individuals involved in what they termed a “hooning event.”

Reports indicated that several vehicles were observed committing traffic violations and driving recklessly.

Videos captured individuals hurling bottles at a marked police car and striking it before it was forced to leave.

Several vehicles were observed committing traffic violations and driving recklessly, police say.

Three police vehicles were damaged during the incident, with one person taken into custody, police said.

A police update on Monday morning confirmed that two young men had been charged.

A 20-year-old Waterford man was charged with one count each of wilful damage of police property, committing public nuisance, entering premises with intent to commit an indictable offence (entering an occupied police vehicle) and participating in a hoon event.

An 18-year-old Park Ridge man was also charged with one count each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, participating in a group activity for racing, burn out or other hooning offences, and evasion offence after a separate search warrant was executed at a Merino Street property.

Both men are scheduled to appear at Beenleigh Magistrates Court in April.

Addressing criticism in a fiery video on Monday morning, Spanian questioned whether media coverage of the event was proportionate and praised the Logan crowd’s “celebration or hood culture”.

“(I love) when they know when I’m coming, and they take that as an opportunity to f***king put it on for the hood because I gave him attention. Because no one else gives him a-f***ing-ttention,” he said.

“I love that I make them feel proud to represent where they’re from because that’s what in the hood is about.”

“If you don’t like it, don’t f***ing watch it.”

Spanian praised the event as a ‘celebration or hood culture’. Picture: Spanian/ Instagram

He added that the focus of his Into the Hood series was not on fixing “hoods” but rather on celebrating those who live there.

“This ain’t no f***ing politics ... (I’m not) trying to change the system cause it’s a celebration or hood culture,” he said.

“I hope it keeps making you dirty, lad.

“I hope everywhere that I go, every time all those kids and all those f***ing adults are proud of who they are and where they’re from, and they scream it out and beat their chests and rev their cars and fucking burn out their bikes, I love that and hope it makes you upset.”

“I love the hood. I love the people from the hood. I love the stories from the hood.”

Three police vehicles were damaged during the incident, with one person taken into custody, and two young men have been charged.

Despite returning to Sydney, Spanian hinted at a potential return to Queensland, mentioning Inala or Caboolture as possible destinations in an Instagram story shared with his followers on Sunday.