Fifty youths attack police outside party

FLEMINGTON'S fragile 'ceasefire' was broken when police were attacked by a group of about 50 youths outside an all-ages dance party.

The violence erupted after a number of youths turned on two security guards and a youth worker at a hip hop dance at the Flemington Community Centre at 10.30pm on November 3.

When 12 police officers arrived to help, they were attacked by a group of predominantly African youths, who threw stones and makeshift spears of tree branches, injuring one officer, Leading Senior Constable Damian Watt, who was hit by a half brick.

''It was very chaotic. There were a lot of girls crying and people were absolutely distressed. They were just throwing rocks randomly. It was .. totally out of control,'' Leading Senior Constable Watt said.

The attack - and two other minor incidents in the days afterwards - are reminiscent of the hostility police encountered when race relations were at an all-time low about two years ago.

Since then, there have been two more attacks on police: About 5am last Monday week, a bottle was thrown at a police patrol van as it passed the Racecourse Road commission flats.

And on Melbourne Cup night, another patrol van was ''pelted with rocks'' near the flats.

The incidents were especially disappointing for former multicultural liaison officer, Leading Senior Constable Glenn Birt, who has worked hard over the past two years to foster unity and change between Flemington youths and local police through several goodwill initiatives.

Speaking in his last week at Flemington, he said the sudden outbreak in violence was ''disappointing'' and a small minority was to blame.

Local community leaders have labelled the horrific attacks ''appalling''.

Eritrean Community in Australia president Berhan Ahmed said the recent closure of weekend programs at the North Melbourne Community Centre left young male Africans bored.

''The young people are roaming to the streets because they don't have a place to go.

''The programs that used to be there have died.''

''What needs to be done is we need to resource programs attractive to the young boys in the evening.''

Somali community leader, Flemington-based Osman Abdurahman, blamed Moonee Valley Council for co-organising an event that brought together young African-Australians from both sexes, which he claimed went against the Muslim faith.

''It's not our religion and it's not in our culture. I am putting all the responsibility on the council.''

Moonee Valley Council failed to respond to the claim, saying the matter was under police investigation.

Moonee Valley's senior police officers are expected to meet in the wake of the attacks. Senior Sergeant George Buchhorn said something needed to be done.

''We need to brainstorm to come up with a strategy as to how we are going to combat this because it's going to result in someone being seriously hurt.''