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Video shows disturbing school craze

A disturbing new fight club trend has engulfed schools across Melbourne as videos and images of the disturbing acts surface on social media.

Violent vidoes of Australian schoolchildren are spreading across social media in what police fear is a disturbing new trend.

More than 20 of the videos, which show kids beating and kicking eachother, have been shared to one social media page alone within the last month.

The trend has swept schools across Melbourne, with alarming footage showing students throwing others onto the ground, stomping on eachother’s heads and even kicking them.

Students have been filmed fighting in the schoolyard, train stations and even bathrooms. Picture: Instagram
Students have been filmed fighting in the schoolyard, train stations and even bathrooms. Picture: Instagram
One account prompts followers not to report it and has a backup account already set up. Picture: Instagram
One account prompts followers not to report it and has a backup account already set up. Picture: Instagram

According to the Herald Sun, some of the students involved in these violent acts are from Point Cook Senior College, St Albans Secondary College, Frankston High School, St Francis Xavier College and Tarneit Senior College.

This comes after news.com.au previously reported that students were uploading the fights and posting victims’ bloodied faces and bodies to social media.

The publication wrote in April that on one Instagram page alone, there had been more than 140 brutal fights that involved public and private schools posted.

In one video, two students are fighting in a bathroom with one student thrown to the ground as the other looms over and repeatedly punches them.

Another video shows a boy throwing punches into his victim at least six times in a schoolyard before classmates went to save him.

One account has more than 2,000 followers on Instagram. Picture: Instagram
One account has more than 2,000 followers on Instagram. Picture: Instagram
More than 140 videos on social media showcase violent fights between Melbourne high school students. Picture: Instagram
More than 140 videos on social media showcase violent fights between Melbourne high school students. Picture: Instagram

Even the St Albans train station became the sight of a brawl, with the footage showing a female student dragging another girl across the ground by her dreadlocks as the victim screams for help.

A spokesperson for Victoria Police told news.com.au that assaulting someone is “not brave or a piece of fun — it’s a sickening, cowardly act”.

“Assaults should absolutely not be celebrated or shared for entertainment purposes,” they said.

Victoria Police also advised students thinking of participating, knows someone who engages in the act or finds it entertaining, to think of the consequences.

“Our advice to those depicted in some of these videos is simple – consider the damage your actions will cause, as the repercussions from a fight don’t always start and end in the schoolyard,” they said.

Videos and images of the violent fight clubs have been found on Instagram. Picture: istock
Videos and images of the violent fight clubs have been found on Instagram. Picture: istock

“When police become involved, you could very easily end up with a criminal record, which may impact your ability to get a job, study or travel overseas.

“When vision of a fight involving students comes to our attention, we work closely with schools to identify those involved and do not hesitate to lay criminal charges.”

Les Twentyman, who is a high-profile youth worker told the Herald Sun that he’s warned teens against taking part in the fight club videos — whether they film it or participate.

“They [teens] could end up seriously hurting someone or they could end up in jail,” he said.

“We’ve seen recent cases where teens have ended up in court, with videos being used as evidence … their lives can change forever.”

Originally published as Video shows disturbing school craze

Original URL: https://www.themercury.com.au/technology/online/video-shows-disturbing-school-craze/news-story/ae5fb1ae5bde26b290d32856f5d597d3