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Police restore calm at Sydney beaches

Posted on: Tuesday, 13 December 2005, 18:30 CST

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A massive police operation restored calm to Sydney's beachside suburbs overnight after two nights of racial violence, with police urging community leaders to help defuse the tension.

Police roadblocks checked scores of cars in suburbs scarred by racial violence and made five arrests after a series of isolated incidents, including one where four youths bashed a man with a baseball bat.

Police said they were also investigating a fire which destroyed a church hall in the city's inner west, but said it was unclear if the fire was related to the violence on Sunday and Monday night at Cronulla Beach and nearby Maroubra Beach.

Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Goodwin said the increased police presence, which ensured calm overnight, would continue indefinitely to ensure no repeat of the violence.

"I have been shocked and disgusted at the recent incidents of violence by some members of the public," Goodwin said.

"I urge community leaders to continue dialogue in an effort to defuse the aggression which seems to be prevalent at this time."

Racial violence erupted at Sydney's Cronulla Beach on Sunday when 5,000 people, some yelling racist chants, attacked youths of Middle Eastern background.

Drunken mobs of youths, some wrapped in Australian flags, said they were defending their beach after lifesavers were attacked. The youths believed the attackers were of Lebanese background.

Police said white supremacists incited violence at Cronulla.

The New South Wales state government has recalled parliament to pass special powers for the police to enable them to lock-down parts of Sydney and ban alcohol consumption in some areas in order to prevent a repeat of the riots next weekend.

Penalties for rioting offences will also be increased, with jail terms of up to 15 years for serious offences.

Source: REUTERS

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