2005 Cronulla riots

New South Wales Police had been recording racial and ethnic tensions and incidents in and around Cronulla since October 2005.[3] There is also a history of conflict between Cronulla locals and those visiting from the western suburbs ("Westies") with "bashings" common since the 1960s as part of a turf war between Westies and local surfies.[4][5] The previous summer, on Australia Day 26 January 2005 a non-racial riot occurred with around two to three thousand young people in the Cronulla area engaged in "civil disobedience", at one stage hurling missiles at police attempting to control the crowd.[3]

Just after 3 pm 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 Middle Eastern men.[3][6] A verbal exchange had taken place after three lifesavers approached a group of four young Lebanese men on Cronulla Beach with both groups accusing the other of staring at them. One of the 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".[7]

The verbal exchange escalated with one 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.[3] One of the lifesavers later informed police that the four were part of a group of eight 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.[7][8]

What kind of grubs? Well I'll tell you what kind of grubs this lot were. This lot were Middle Eastern grubs.

— Alan Jones, 5 December 2005, on 2GB radio[9]

One media report stated that there was already tension between the community and 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".[10]

The events were reported widely across the Sydney media, particularly tabloid; also generating discussions on talkback radio.[11] 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".[11] 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 reputation bikie gangs do "a lot of good things". 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."[12]

After the riots Jones was found to have breached the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Code of Conduct section 1.3(a), as his comments were "likely to encourage violence or brutality and to vilify people of Lebanese and Middle-Eastern backgrounds on the basis of ethnicity".[12] In December 2009 the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal found Jones and radio station 2GB guilty of vilifying Lebanese Muslims in earlier 'Cronulla Riot' broadcasts. A fine of $10,000 was imposed.[13][14]

Police were concerned about the repercussions of these events. Later investigations revealed that over 270,000 individual text messages were transmitted inciting a racially motivated confrontation at North Cronulla Beach the following Saturday.[3]

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.[15][16][17] 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 (including police helicopters and patrol boats), quickly intervened and resolved the situation.[15][3][16][17]

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".[10]

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 Bangladesh[15] were surrounded by the crowd, and had bottles thrown at them, with the crowd repeatedly chanting "Fuck off Lebs!" The boys escaped by car.[3] 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.[18][16] Around 14:00 another three males were assaulted on the beach with the crowd throwing sausages and beer bottles at them.[3]

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 took refuge in the train. However, the crowd entered and began assaulting them; a police officer entered the train and violently cleared the crowd, later being found to have used excessive force.[15][3][19]

At 15:20 two separate assaults took place; one involved a crowd attacking a man of "Middle Eastern appearance" and throwing beer bottles.[3] In this case an officer intervened and removed the victim as they were both struck by the bottle. A second assault took place outside a take away 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.[3]

By the end of the day 26 people had been treated for injuries.[15][16] The 15:20 assault required the victim and the police officer to receive hospital treatment.[3] 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.[6][16] 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.[3][6]

Crowd with mounted police and ambulance in background. Near North Cronulla Beach First Aid room

At 19:45 around 100 locals of Punchbowl (a suburb 20 kilometres [12 mi] to Cronulla's northwest) gathered together at the local Punchbowl Park.[15][3] Additional groups, armed with baseball bats, also gathered at The Promenade and Arncliffe Park.[3] Between 20:30 and 21:00 the groups formed a convoy of "more than 40 cars" and drove down to the beaches "to get revenge" with many of the cars ending up in Maroubra.[15] At 22:45 police were ordered "not to approach convoys of men of Middle Eastern appearance"; however car details and registration details were to be recorded.[20]

A local of Maroubra reported that each of the cars that arrived was "full, you know, had four passengers". The convoy was reportedly armed with bars and bats, knives, machetes and guns.[15][21][22] The group assaulted several people, knocking one unconscious and threatening another with rape, and damaged between 60 and 100 cars, setting at least one on fire.[15][21][22] Police in riot gear moved to contain the violence and the crowds responded by throwing bricks and glass.[22][23] Residents reported that in some streets "every car" had had their windows smashed, with glass covering the streets.[24] Police also confiscated 40 iron bars and arrested 14 people.[25]

A 26-year-old mechanic referred to as "Dan" was stabbed in the back three times and twice in the thigh with a 9.8-centimetre (3.9 in) blade at approximately 22:25.[22][26][27] The incident occurred outside Woolooware golf club when two cars carrying a group of males "described as being of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appearance" approached the man and his friends. Dan and his friends attempted to flee from the group, who were shouting "Get the Aussie dogs... get the Aussie sluts", Dan was knocked to the ground and was repeatedly kicked in the head. The attack ended when the knife snapped off in the victim's back.[26][27] He was taken to hospital in a serious condition as the blade had narrowly missed his spine and lungs.[22][23][27] The get away driver for the attack was arrested and held in jail for 9 months, after which he was paroled for 5 months of good behaviour.[28]

Jake Schofield was attacked by a group of four men of "Middle Eastern appearance", who beat him repeatedly, stabbing him twice and hitting him with a piece of concrete before stealing his wallet and keys. The attack left him with a fractured eye socket and nose.[29] All four assailants were arrested and charged.[30]

A woman wearing a headscarf had her car stopped by a group of white males and was then abused and threatened by this group.[3]

Strike Force Enoggera was established on 13 December 2005, tasked with investigating the riots.[6][36][50] The strike force initially consisted of 28 members under the command of Superintendent Dennis Bray, but was increased to 100 officers on 20 January 2006. During a radio interview New South Wales Police Commissioner Moroney claimed to have no video footage of the retaliatory attacks on 11 December; however it was later revealed that the police had had a video for five weeks, leading Moroney to sack Bray,[51] who was later reinstated to a lesser role, having been replaced by Detective Superintendent Ken Mckay.[52]

We knew always there was racism, but we never knew it was to this extent. I mean, all your life you've been – you've been raised to be Australian. I mean, you carry the Australian flag. When you go to sports events and all that, you're happy to be Australian and all that. And all of sudden people reject you. "Go home!" They shout your names. Like, "Go home, you Middle Eastern Lebs," or whatever. "Go home." I mean, that's a shock to us. "Go home." I mean, like, you get cut inside your heart, you know. Like you feel like you're not part of society no more.

— Eiad Diyab, a local of Punchbowl, talking to Four Corners., [15]

Brian Wilshire, a 2GB radio host, stated the following weekend on air: "Many of them have parents who are first cousins whose parents are first cousins, the result of this inbreeding—the result of which is uneducationable [sic] people... and very low IQ", comments for which he later apologised.[53]

An anti-racism rally, attended by 2000 people, was held in Bourke Street, Melbourne.[53] Apologies for the riots at Cronulla were later issued on behalf of some local surf clubs, arguing their members rejected racism and violence. The gathering was justified as a protest against "ethnic gangs" with blame for the rioting and violence largely placed on alcohol and the agitation of far-right groups.[54] During a press conference along with the Comancheros MC (which has a large amount of middle eastern members), An apology from the Maroubra "Bra Boys" was also issued to leaders of the Islamic community. Apologies from several others involved were also issued to Sydney's Lebanese community, though the earlier "protest" part of the day was still defended.[55]

Writing a year after the riots, novelist Hsu-Ming Teo was worried that Australian multiculturalism was being eroded.[18] Stating that multiculturalism was one of Australia's defining features that allowed it to broker differences with its geographical neighbours, and that it was almost unique in its ethnic and cultural origins: she suggested that in recent years multiculturalism had begun to be derided with politicians calling for one homogeneous non-divisible Australian culture citing, amongst others, the "popularity and success" of Pauline Hanson.[18]

In 2008 Australian portrait photographer Michel Lawrence published All of Us, a book containing photographs of people born in 200 other countries, but who were now living in Australia.[56] Lawrence said the All of Us project was wholly inspired by the Cronulla riots.[56][57][58] “You watch this stuff on TV and you wonder why people are doing this – this is no way for a multicultural society to behave,” said Lawrence.[57]

The New South Wales parliament convened on 15 December to pass laws giving police new powers[31][59] including: the ability to seize cars and mobile phones for up to seven days, close licensed premises and prohibit bringing alcohol into lock–down zones.[35][59] A new offence of "assault during a public disorder" was also introduced and both rioting and affray had their minimum sentences increased.[35][59] New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma called the attacks "disgusting, cowardly behaviour"[60] and condemned the rioters. He also called on the community leaders to use "their influence to get the hot heads to cool it".[60]

New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney called the riots "absolutely totally un-Australian",[16][17][61] saying that "I saw, in my 40 years of police service, some of the most disgraceful behaviour and conduct by adults that I'd ever seen."[62] New South Wales Opposition leader Peter Debnam called it "a real disgrace" and called for a tougher police response.[16] Australian Prime Minister John Howard condemned the violence describing it as "sickening and deplorable"[38] but denied any racial undertones, saying the events were primarily an issue of law and order[38][59] — a view echoed by the Treasurer Peter Costello, who described the Sydney riots as "an example of hoodlums who got out of control". However this was viewed by many people who live in Sydney as the government burying its head in the sand over racial tension so foreign ownership in Australia would not be affected.[53] Federal opposition leader Kim Beazley described the attacks as "simply criminal behaviour, that's all there is to it".[38]

Look at what a beautiful day it is. The weekend before Christmas. Over there should be absolutely packed, but there's just a sea of empty tables.

— Daryl Peat, a restaurant and bar owner in Terrigal on the New South Wales Central Coast[63]

Many of the small businesses in and around Terrigal on the New South Wales Central Coast (two hours north of Cronulla) reported that a police lockdown of the beach caused business to drop to 10% of normal levels on a Saturday, with only 25% of Christmas shopping crowds turning up on the Sunday.[63] Tourism and hospitality workers in the area were laid off or had their hours cut.[64] The New South Wales state government announced a A$250,000 tourism campaign after authorities in Great Britain, Canada, and Indonesia issued travel warnings to their citizens.[65]