As The Daily Telegraph in Sydney reported on the day before the Cronulla riots, for years Bondi beach had experienced bashings of lifesavers and locals and intimidation of beachgoers, particularly of young women. The perpetrators were gangs of Middle Eastern background.
In January 1999, undercover policemen placed a gang of about 40 youths under surveillance. Troublemakers were identified. Uniformed police officers arrived in police trucks and ordered the troublemakers to move on because of their offensive behaviour. The youths refused and they were arrested. To the amazement of the police, beachgoers who had witnessed the arrests gave the officers a standing ovation. But that was not the end of the matter. As the Telegraph notes: "It took a concerted, sustained effort by eastern suburbs police, but by 2003 the gangs were gone."
It took four years to bring the rule of law to Bondi beach. Four years of persistent police work, at just one beach.
So that's what's required at Cronulla.
1 comment:
Well written and well-informed articles Gavin. :)
Its very sad what is happening at the moment, but perhaps it was the step back 'that we had to have' in order to move forward with these issues now out in the open for all to see.
Hopefully its not simply a media flavour-of-the-month, and the govt and police will take measured steps to confront these issues and resolve them.
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