Victoria police Superintendent David Jones has issued a warning against anyone “taking the law into their own hands” as emotions threaten to boil over within Melbourne's Vietnamese community who say they’re being targeted by “African gangs” in Melbourne’s west.
Members of the Vietnamese community have voiced anger and concern on following the April 27 assault and robbery of a 16-year-old student by two males of African appearance at Sunshine train station.
Police investigations are continuing after the student was allegedly punched in the face, head and arm as he waited for a bus.
The incident occurred amid heightened tensions following a wild brawl between Vietnamese shopkeepers and a group of African-Australian youths outside a café in the nearby suburb of St Albans on Christmas Eve, which raised concerns of vigilante attacks.
Victoria police Superintendent David Jones told SBS Vietnamese: “Despite efforts to prevent and deter crime, police are aware of a number of street robberies in and around the Sunshine area that have left people feeling fearful."
The brawl between locals and African youths outside Vietnamese restaurant in St Albans. Source: Facebook
“These incidents are not isolated to the Sunshine area. We are seeing similar incidents committed by a small number of offenders across the state, and this is not acceptable. However, we do not believe that the Vietnamese community is being specifically targeted. Police will not stop until these offenders are all caught and held to account.”
A peaceful rally organised by a Vietnamese - Australian Student Association through the streets of Sunshine was set to take place on Sunday but was cancelled following a panel discussion between community leaders and local authorities including the council and police on Tuesday.
Rally organiser Tien Nguyen said that “working together” with the African community was essential to resolve the problem, but admitted that there was anger among Vietnamese people over groups some are referring to as “gangs”.
“The African community is also concerned and has a headache about this issue,” she said.
“Our message is fighting for a better safer Western suburb including Sunshine, encouraging community harmony and calling out support for the African youth generation.
“Why are these African-Australian teenagers lacking help in society? Where are their families, society and community? If they are a disadvantaged teenager, the government must send social workers to help them.”
A spate of crimes involving Australians of African heritage last year triggered debate over whether or not there was a crisis within the African communities in Victoria.
Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp (left) and Chief Police Commissioner Graham Ashton listen as African community leader John Kuot at a press conference in 2018 Source: AAP
“The groups that have been labelled “gangs” are effectively groups of young people coming together, sometimes for one night to misbehave and commit a crime,” Superintendent Jones said.
"We do not condone vigilantism and urge the community not to take the law into their own hands. We respect the right of the community to express their views peacefully and lawfully but we do not tolerate anyone breaking the law.
“It is unfortunate that a few people in the community have wanted to seek revenge in relation to some of the crimes, including having hateful discussions on online forums."
President of the Vietnamese Community Association in Australia - Victoria Chapter, Vivienne Nguyen said there were efforts to find some "immediate solutions" to the problem, but a rally through Sunshine was not one of them.
"We've been working with the government and the local police, the council and the South Sudanese community and the African community in general," she said.
Chairman of the South Sudanese Community Association in Victoria, Ring Mayar said social cohesion and correspondence was the key to bridging the gap between the two groups.
Left: South Sudanese community leader Ring Mayar | Right: President of the VCA / Victoria Chapter, Vivienne Nguyen Source: Supplied
“[The Vietnamese community] has the right to protest, but there’s another way to resolving the issue as well as talking to the leadership and also the community, where we have to come together. The Vietnamese really had it rough in the early 2000s and we’re really having it rough over the last couple of years and up to now. Our young people are struggling on many different fronts,” he said.
Mr Mayar said his community faces a "challenge" in curbing violence among youngsters and said government support was essential.
“Our young people are stuck between the two worlds. Now a lot of them are unemployed, there’s an issue of lack venues where we can keep them occupied through sports," he said.
“We’ve been seeking help from the state government to help the South Sudanese community associations, to work with young on many different fronts. One of those fronts is a place where young people can congregate.
“As you can see, there isn’t a place for them to go, [they] congregate along the railway, loiter around the shopping area. We know when young people gather and hang out in groups there will always be trouble, as like other people in mainstream Australia.
“They need guidance and they need to be helped.”
