1 month ago
10 A group of Melbourne youths have been pepper sprayed by police after a wild brawl broke out at a popular beach.
Multiple maskless and shirtless youths were filmed kicking and punching each other at St Kilda beach in a video uploaded and shared on social media.
The fight broke out just after 6.30pm as the temperature soared above 30C and Melburnians flocked to beaches across the city to celebrate the Melbourne Cup Day public holiday.
Footage of the incident shows the group chasing each other across the grass opposite the sand as startled beachgoers are quickly forced to move out of the way.
Senior Constable Alistair Parsons said officers were forced to use capsicum spray to break up the fight and arrest the offenders.
He said the four men arrested following the fight were all believed to be known to each other.
“Police on patrol observed the four men fighting on a walkway near Pier Road just after 6.30pm,” he said.
“Officers used OC spray to break up the fight before arresting the offenders.”
A Dallas man, 20, a Broadmeadows man, 22, a Chadstone man, 21, and a 17-year-old boy were each issued with a penalty infringement notice for riotous behaviour.
It comes after a policewoman was hospitalised and hundreds arrested after clashes between anti-lockdown protesters and cops turned violent at Parliament House.
Officers arrested 404 people and will issue 395 penalty notices for a range of offences, including not wearing a mask, breaching public gathering directions, travelling more than 25km from their home, assaulting police and failing to state their name and address.
On Wednesday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews warned the great progress Melburnians had made in beating the second coronavirus wave “won’t last” if everyone doesn’t play their part by keeping their distance and wearing masks.
“It is fragile and it will not last if every Victorian doesn’t play their part,” he said.
“Let’s not have the behaviour of some detract from the majority of Victorians who are doing the right thing.”
Mr Andrews said most groups were trying their best to socially distance at the beach, but the bigger issue was the number of people not wearing their masks.
English (United States)