CATHOLIC leaders have condemned a wave of racially instigated riots and violent reprisals along Sydney’s southern beaches.
The riots began on December 10-11 after a demonstration at Cronulla where more than 5000 people gathered, chanted racist slogans, and chased and bashed people of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance.
A series of apparent revenge attacks – including two stabbings and the wrecking of cars – continued at nearby Maroubra.
Police intervened in more incidents of unrest over the following nights.
Cardinal George Pell of Sydney deplored the mob violence, describing it as a “disgrace”, and called for peace at Christmas.
Australia’s Maronite Catholic Bishop Ad Abikaram said he was “appalled” by the violence.
“We support the Government and the police in their efforts to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” Bishop Akbikaram said.
The head of a Maronite Catholic youth organisation based in the inner Sydney suburb of Redfern said he believed many young people from ethnic backgrounds had lost a sense of belonging to Australia.
Maronite Lebanese Youth Organisation director Fr Geoffrey Abdallah made the comments on ABC Radio on December 12.
The director of a Catholic research and advocacy centre in Sydney blamed the violence on “years of policy neglect in the area of community relations coming home to roost”. Phil Glendenning of the Edmund Rice Centre said there were signs that racism in Australia was growing.
