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Crime

Caucasian Youths Accused of Injuring Police in Brawl on Victoria's Surf Coast

More than 100 young people allegedly "set upon" police in Torquay.
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A police officer has been injured in the Victorian beach town of Torquay, after some 100 youths are to believed to have set upon police at a popular festival. Police allegedly had to barricade themselves inside their cars to escape from the violent brawl, which took hours—and pepper spray—to get under control. Back up was called in from Geelong and Melbourne.

But this all happened nearly a week ago.

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Only now, in the wake of the #AfricanGangs controversy, are people starting to ask why African youth crime gets widespread media coverage—when a huge riot by young people described as "Caucasian" is barely publicised.

Speaking to The Age, a witness said they saw an officer trying to put a youth into a divvy van when he was "attacked by a group of young men, believed to be the the arrested boy's friends, who jumped on him and began assaulting him."

Torquay sergeant Tim Bennett said glass bottles were thrown at the police cars by a large group of intoxicated young people, and confirmed an officer was left with cuts to his face after being physically attacked.

This all happened just after the popular local Nightjar Festival had finished for the evening, attended by some 14,000 people in Torquay Common. Police say they will give the festival additional support for its upcoming event this Thursday night.

“It’s concerning for police that we have large groups of youth impacted by alcohol or other substances [wandering] the streets in an almost lawless fashion taunting police and displaying aggressive behaviour when police try to go about their day to day duties,” Torquay Senior Sergeant Robert Wilby told the Geelong Advertiser.

Five people were arrested on charges including assault, riotous behaviour, and being drunk and disorderly.

Victoria Police chose not to publish any media releases about the incident.