voiceofreason
Senior News Editor since 2011
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/alcoholfu...ce-after-weekend-attacks-20160313-gnhuhs.html
Alcohol-fuelled violence: police boost CBD presence after weekend attacks
Date
March 13, 2016 - 7:01PM
Police will boost their numbers and increase their visibility across Sydney's CBD to combat anti-social behaviour
after a weekend of alcohol-fuelled violence in the city.
Officers were kept busy during a weekend that featured numerous violent incidents, including a mass brawl involving 30 people.
Police initially said the incident involved 200 peopleas it broke out in a laneway near the Metro Theatre concert venue and then spread down George and Pitt streets, about 3am on Sunday.
An investigation has begun into what sparked the fight with one nearby resident saying he woke to screaming and shouting, and from his balcony filmed as a woman knocked another to the ground.
The brawls, he said, lasted for at least half an hour and police were moving between different locations trying to break up separate fights.
http://www.news.com.au/national/cri...e/news-story/d84d0ec719623728724619ca05d8f988
Sydney and Melbourne’s city streets marred by night of violence
March 13, 20168:47pm
CHAOS reigned on the streets of our major cities overnight, as revelling crowds erupted into violence.
Melbourne’s annual Moomba Festival descended into carnage as hundreds of rival gang members brawled in the CBD, where thousands of revellers had come to enjoy the celebrations.
Armed with knives and guns, about 200 members of the Apex and Islander 23 gangs were heard chanting “f**k the police” before launching an all-out brawl that turned Federation Square and surrounding streets into a riot zone.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-13/street-brawl-shuts-down-parts-of-melbourne's-cbd/7242676
Melbourne street brawl an 'escalation in violence' from Apex gang, police say
Police have condemned an escalation in violence by a gang they say is responsible for a "chaotic" brawl that caused panic in Melbourne's CBD last night.
Key points:
Apex gang to blame for CBD violence, police say
Four arrested, including one person for possessing a taser
Resources boosted for taskforce investigating group
The group, known as Apex and based in Melbourne's southern suburbs, forced a shutdown of parts of the CBD, as police brought out capsicum spray and batons to break up the commotion.
Commissioner Ashton said Taskforce Tense had been set up in November to monitor Apex and would now be given extra resources.
"Last night, the levels of violence exhibited by this group was an increase and escalation on violence ... that concerns us greatly and we condemn it," Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said.
"The sort of behaviour last night will not be tolerated and we'll be cracking down hard on this particular group we believe was responsible."
Terrified revellers at the annual Moomba festival were forced to take cover as gang members provoked police and bystanders on the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets, near Federation Square, just before 8:00pm.
Onlookers ran for safety and at one stage chairs were used as weapons by the brawlers.
Swanston Street was shut down and trams were stopped for about an hour. Ambulance Victoria said it treated a number of people after the incident.
Police were forced to use batons and pepper spray to break up the warring street gang youths as they punched and beat each other.
A number of people were treated for injuries in the city and taken to hospital after the clash, Ambulance Victoria confirmed.
Police said they were investigating “a series of affrays” in Federation Square and surrounding areas, along with reports of four robberies and an assault which resulted in a man being rushed to hospital.
"There was a bunch of smaller skirmishes. It looked like there was a lot of people around and I think there were a lot of people fighting in a lot of different places," the man said.
Alcohol-fuelled violence: police boost CBD presence after weekend attacks
Date
March 13, 2016 - 7:01PM
Police will boost their numbers and increase their visibility across Sydney's CBD to combat anti-social behaviour
after a weekend of alcohol-fuelled violence in the city.Officers were kept busy during a weekend that featured numerous violent incidents, including a mass brawl involving 30 people.
Police initially said the incident involved 200 people
as it broke out in a laneway near the Metro Theatre concert venue and then spread down George and Pitt streets, about 3am on Sunday.
An investigation has begun into what sparked the fight with one nearby resident saying he woke to screaming and shouting, and from his balcony filmed as a woman knocked another to the ground.
The brawls, he said, lasted for at least half an hour and police were moving between different locations trying to break up separate fights.
http://www.news.com.au/national/cri...e/news-story/d84d0ec719623728724619ca05d8f988
Sydney and Melbourne’s city streets marred by night of violence
March 13, 20168:47pm
CHAOS reigned on the streets of our major cities overnight, as revelling crowds erupted into violence.
Melbourne’s annual Moomba Festival descended into carnage as hundreds of rival gang members brawled in the CBD, where thousands of revellers had come to enjoy the celebrations.
Armed with knives and guns, about 200 members of the Apex and Islander 23 gangs were heard chanting “f**k the police” before launching an all-out brawl that turned Federation Square and surrounding streets into a riot zone.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-13/street-brawl-shuts-down-parts-of-melbourne's-cbd/7242676
Melbourne street brawl an 'escalation in violence' from Apex gang, police say
Police have condemned an escalation in violence by a gang they say is responsible for a "chaotic" brawl that caused panic in Melbourne's CBD last night.
Key points:
Apex gang to blame for CBD violence, police say
Four arrested, including one person for possessing a taser
Resources boosted for taskforce investigating group
The group, known as Apex and based in Melbourne's southern suburbs, forced a shutdown of parts of the CBD, as police brought out capsicum spray and batons to break up the commotion.
Commissioner Ashton said Taskforce Tense had been set up in November to monitor Apex and would now be given extra resources.
"Last night, the levels of violence exhibited by this group was an increase and escalation on violence ... that concerns us greatly and we condemn it," Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said.
"The sort of behaviour last night will not be tolerated and we'll be cracking down hard on this particular group we believe was responsible."
Terrified revellers at the annual Moomba festival were forced to take cover as gang members provoked police and bystanders on the corner of Swanston and Flinders streets, near Federation Square, just before 8:00pm.
Onlookers ran for safety and at one stage chairs were used as weapons by the brawlers.
Swanston Street was shut down and trams were stopped for about an hour. Ambulance Victoria said it treated a number of people after the incident.
Police were forced to use batons and pepper spray to break up the warring street gang youths as they punched and beat each other.
A number of people were treated for injuries in the city and taken to hospital after the clash, Ambulance Victoria confirmed.
Police said they were investigating “a series of affrays” in Federation Square and surrounding areas, along with reports of four robberies and an assault which resulted in a man being rushed to hospital.
"There was a bunch of smaller skirmishes. It looked like there was a lot of people around and I think there were a lot of people fighting in a lot of different places," the man said.
