[Australia]: The Cronulla Riots

[Owen]

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Parties​

State of New South Wales New South Wales Police Force

European Australians Australia First Party

Arab Australians

New South Wales Police had been recording racial and ethnic tensions and incidents in and around Cronulla since the al-Qaeda attack in London last month. There is also a history of conflict between Cronulla locals and visiting beachgoers from the western suburbs ("Westies") with physical assault common since the 1960s as part of a turf war between Westies and local surfers. There remains a great deal of debate as to whether previous racially charged attacks in the area like the Sydney gang rapes contributed to the tensions, or if the subsequent trials were used as justification for the attacks, despite many reporting otherwise. The previous summer on Australia Day (26 January 2005), a non-racial riot occurred with around 2,000 to 3,000 young people in the Cronulla area engaged in "civil disobedience", at one stage hurling missiles at police attempting to control the crowd.

4 December, 2005
Cronulla, New South Wales

Just after 3pm on Sunday, 4 December 2005, police were called to North Cronulla Beach following a report of an assault on two off-duty surf lifesavers by four members of a group of eight men. A verbal exchange had taken place after three lifesavers approached a group of four young Australian men with a Lebanese background on Cronulla Beach, with both groups accusing the other of staring at them. One of the Australian Lebanese men reportedly responded to the accusations, "I'm allowed to; now fuck off and leave our beach", to which a lifesaver responded, "I come down here out of my own spare time to save you cunts from drowning".

The verbal exchange escalated with one Australian Lebanese youth attempting to defuse the situation. Another then threw a punch, missing, prompting a pushing match that escalated into a fight. One of the lifesavers was badly hurt after falling and striking his head. One of the lifesavers later informed police that the four were part of a group of eight Australian Lebanese that had been on the beach most of the day and that there had been no problems with their prior behaviour. Despite media reports to the contrary, no Middle Eastern men converged on the area and there were no more than the original eight present.

 

[Owen]

5 December, 2005
Sydney, New South Wales

One media report stated that there was already tension between the community and Australian Lebanese youths before this event and people, particularly women, claimed to have been harassed, almost daily, by "groups of young Lebanese men" attempting to "pick them up" and describing the women as being "Aussie sluts".

The events of the 4th of December were reported widely across the Sydney media, particularly tabloid; also generating discussions on talkback radio. When a listener identified as "Berta" commented to shock jock Alan Jones of Sydney's 2GB Radio that she had heard "really derogatory remarks" aimed at Middle Eastern people, Jones interrupted stating "We don't have Anglo-Saxon kids out there raping women in Western Sydney". Jones also broadcast and endorsed one listener's suggestion that bikie gangs be brought down to Cronulla railway station to deal with "Lebanese thugs" and that the event be televised, arguing that despite their notoriety bikie gangs do "a lot of good things". Alan Jones' commentary continued throughout the week and by Thursday, Jones had stirred significant discussion, and stated "I'm the person that's led this charge here. Nobody wanted to know about North Cronulla, now it's gathered to this."

Police were concerned about the repercussions of Jones' commentary. Over 270,000 individual SMS text messages were transmitted inciting a racially motivated confrontation at North Cronulla Beach for the following Sunday.

"What kind of grubs? Well I'll tell you what kind of grubs this lot were. This lot were Middle Eastern grubs."
-Alan Jones on 2GB radio

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[Owen]

11 December, 2005
Morning and Afternoon
Cronulla, New South Wales

Over the course of Sunday, 11 December 2005, approximately 5,000 people gathered in and around North Cronulla Beach. Early in the morning, people began to gather and impromptu barbecues and "partying" took place. However at 12:59, a young man of "Middle Eastern appearance" was spotted on the beach and the crowds began "chanting stuff and yelling out things" before rushing him. The man attempted to avoid the crowd by quickly entering "Northies", a local pub, but the crowd forcibly dragged him out and attacked him. The police, having been in Cronulla since the early morning, quickly intervened and resolved the situation. A Cronulla High School teacher later claimed that the crowd had attacked the man after he had shouted "I'm going to blow youse all up".

General duties officers who were at Cronulla prior making arrests


Crowds starting to gather at Cronulla


Youth arriving at Cronulla​

At 13:30, two women verbally argued with a small group; the police arrived and both parties left. However, an hour later, they again met and a scuffle ensued. At 13:45, another two boys from India (Basedcnt) were surrounded by the crowd, and had bottles thrown at them, with the crowd repeatedly chanting "Fuck off Lebs!". The two boys escaped by car, which were smashed, stomped on and pelted with objects along the way. Chants and slogans such as "Fuck off Lebs!", "We grew here, you flew here", "Aussie Pride", "Fuck off wogs!", were repeated and displayed throughout the day by the crowd. The crowd also attacked the police by throwing beer bottles. Police vehicles were also prevented from entering the area. Around 14:00 another three males were assaulted on the beach with the crowd throwing sausages and beer bottles at them.

At Bankstown Airport, a NSW Police Aviation Command Bell 429 helicopter would be made airborne and make its way over to Cronulla, a short distance. They would begin reconnaissance on the area.

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"This is Polair 3, situation in Cronulla has become critical, we're going to need the riot squad down there."

The Public Order and Riot Squad would be rapidly deployed from their Sydney base to the suburb of Cronulla.

Public Order and Riot Squad officers arriving on the scene​

Rumours had persisted throughout the day that an additional 600 people would arrive by train, mostly from the west of Cronulla, to join the crowds. At approximately 15:00, "two young men of Middle Eastern appearance" arrived at Cronulla train station with the crowd outside chanting "Fuck off wogs!". The two men (one of whom was a Russian citizen of Afghan descent (Jay Grant)) took refuge in the train. However, the mob entered the carriage and began assaulting them; a police officer (Sergeant Craig Campbell) entered the train and forcibly cleared the crowd using a baton and with the assistance of other officers was able to clear Cronulla railway station.

Public Order and Riot Squad officers arriving at Cronulla railway station prior to the train arriving


The two men getting attacked on the train


Sergeant Campbell forcibly clearing the carriage


Sergeant Campbell leading PORS officers to clear the platform at Cronulla railway station​

At 15:20, two separate assaults took place; one involved a crowd attacking a man of "Middle Eastern appearance" and throwing beer bottles. In this case an officer intervened and removed the victim as they were both struck by the bottles. A second assault took place outside a takeaway restaurant; three men were taken inside the restaurant as refuge and the diners already inside were moved towards the back. The glass doors and windows were broken and those inside were moved outside without incident.

Officers moving in to save the man of "Middle Eastern apperance"​

By the end of the day, 26 people had been treated for injuries. The 15:20 assault required the victim and the police officer to receive hospital treatment. A total of 16 were arrested and charged with 42 offences including: malicious damage, assaulting a police officer, affray, offensive conduct, resisting arrest and numerous driving offences. One police officer was hit by a car and two ambulance officers were also amongst the injured as their ambulance, under mounted police escort, was surrounded and beer bottles were thrown, with one of the ambulance officers being hit on the head by a bottle and the other receiving lacerations on the arm.

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[Owen]

11 December, 2005
Afternoon
Department of Premier and Cabinet Offices, Sydney, New South Wales

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Kristina Keneally, the Premier of New South Wales, would front the media at a press conference inside the Premier's Department building at 52 Martin Place in the Sydney CBD. Keneally, a native of Las Vegas, Nevada, would have a noticeable American accent when she spoke.

"Thank you coming on such short notice.

I want to start off by saying that this Government and I wholeheartedly condemn this heinous and awful behaviour in Cronulla today. Not only that, but many individuals have broken the law and they will be brought to justice. Sydney and the whole state of New South Wales is no place for racism, it is not place for racist violence and this will be not be tolerated in this state. The Australia that I know and intend to preserve as Premier does not support that kind of violence and behaviour. I say this as someone who has only lived here for 11 years and been a citizen for 5 years. Even this yank can tell that this behaviour is not reflective of Australian values. They tried to hide behind the Australian flag today, they are in fact cowards.

Cronulla will not be destroyed by troublemakers. It is a beautiful suburb in the greatest city on earth. It is there for all Sydneysiders to enjoy. It's what makes it so attractive, the beach and the surrounds, and it's there to be enjoyed by families and not thugs. We're not going to have these hooligans and thugs behaving in such a disgraceful and cowardly manner, so the police are going to stay there as long as it is needed to ensure that that kind of behaviour does not continue. Let me ensure all Sydneysiders and citizens of New South Wales, the New South Wales Police Force is responding in accordance with its name, with force. We will restore law and order to Cronulla, we will make sure these acts do not sping up elsewhere in the state. To speak more to this, I welcome the Police Commissioner, Commissioner Catherine Burn, to the podium."

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"Thank you Premier.

I am disgusted at what happened today in Cronulla. It's not Australian to adopt a mob mentality and then amongst other things assault women, police officers and paramedics, I have never in all my life known of anything that's so un-Australian. If you assault an emergency services worker, be that a police officer or a paramedic, in this state, we will prosecute you to the full extent of the law. It is disgusting, it is despicable. I can confirm that police are working tirelessly to restore law and order to Cronulla as we speak. Public Order and Riot Squad officers are on the scene and are being assisted by Police Aviation Command and Marine Area Command as well as the Mounted Unit and State Protection Group units including the Tactical Operations Unit, the Police Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit and the Dog Unit. We are assisting our partners at New South Wales Ambulance to ensure the safety of paramedics treating individuals at the scene.

We are becoming aware from intelligence from our officers in other parts of Sydney that counter-rioters are planning on making their way to the scene this evening. I urge everybody in Sydney to avoid the Cronulla area. Do not travel to Cronulla, do not add fuel to this fire. If you come to Cronulla seeking trouble, you will be met with resistance from the New South Wales Police. Thank you, that's all we have to say at this time."