Melbourne Archbishop blasts reporting of African gangs crisis

Australia’s highest ranking Anglican has blasted politicians and the media over Melbourne’s African gang crisis.

Australia’s highest ranking Anglican has blasted politicians and the media over their handling of Melbourne’s African gang crisis.

In a statement from the Anglican diocese of Melbourne, the Archbishop of Melbourne Philip Freier said “poor media reporting and exaggerated claims for political effect” were responsible for a ­racist backlash against African Australians.

Melbourne has been dealing with the gangs issue throughout the summer, with South Sudanese youths tied to robbery sprees, police bashings and public brawls since December.

Archbishop Freier will hold a “healing service” for the South Sudanese community at St Paul’s Cathedral on Sunday and Anglican charity the Brotherhood of St Laurence has spent $10,000 on a social media campaign aimed at tackling racist abuse aimed at ­African Melburnians.

“One elder said the other day that many Sudanese young ­people are afraid even to go down the street to buy milk because of the things people say to them,” Archbishop Freier said. It is unclear whether he has directed his comments on reporters and politicians at anyone specific and he was unavailable to comment ­on this yesterday.

Sunday’s service will be preceded by a rally at the State Lib­rary where the Greens and the National Union of Workers will join South Sudanese leaders in protesting against the portrayal of African gangs in the media and by politicians such as Malcolm Turnbull and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

The Victorian Greens have ­officially endorsed the rally and their new leader, Samantha ­Ratnam, said African gangs had become a “political football”.

“By racialising crime in Victoria, and spreading the lie that crime is an ‘African’ problem, Turnbull and Dutton have ramped up racism and fear and encouraged far-right groups to target the African community,” the party’s Facebook page says.

Mr Dutton declined a request for comment from The Australian yesterday.

South Sudanese Community Association leader Richard Deng will speak at Sunday’s rally.