Alice Springs brawl: Huge fight breaks out at Yeperenye shopping centre
>
A huge fight broke out at a mall in Alice Springs, the latest wave of shocking violence to hit the troubled inner city.
Footage taken at the Yeperenye shopping center on Tuesday shows a group of youths throwing chairs and chasing each other to trade blows.
The violence sent staff and shoppers running for cover as it spread through the busy mall.
It’s unclear what sparked the chaos or who exactly was involved, though dozens appeared to be caught up in the violence.
Footage from the Yeperenye shopping center shows a group of youths throwing chairs and chasing each other to trade blows.
It’s unclear what sparked the chaos or who exactly was involved, though dozens appeared to be caught up in the violence.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted NT Police for comment.
The incident is just the latest in a series of violent attacks in the Outback town, which is plagued by youth gangs vandalizing businesses and robbing homes.
There are also partial bans on alcohol in the city, despite complaints from locals.
“No grog today, but this is not going away,” one person posted on social media.
Another wrote: ‘Our city is on the verge of breaking up!’
‘What an absolute shame. The AFPs must be brought in to restore order, this is absolutely unacceptable,’ said a third party.
Other locals said they are now too terrified to visit the area.
“Sorry Yeperenye shop owners, can’t go to the area until things get better, just not worth the trauma, so sad for everyone,” one person wrote.
Another added: ‘Seeing and hearing about Alice I am so close to canceling all my plans to visit in April. I have older people with me and I don’t think I want them to deal with this.’
On Monday afternoon, in a separate incident, a teenager was assaulted by axe-wielding youths in a gruesome attack in broad daylight.
Alice Springs Hospital worker Namfon Fon, who moved to the city from Thailand to be with her partner, posted a warning on Facebook after her son was assaulted near Sammy’s Pizza.
Ms Fon’s 16-year-old son was walking in Braitling, a suburb of Alice, when three young men attacked him.
“They have an ax and they hit him several times on the face, stomach, leg and other parts of the body,” he said.
The violence sent staff and shoppers running for cover as it spread through the busy mall.
Alice Springs Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that a teenager who allegedly hit Ms Fon’s son with “a sharp weapon” has since been arrested.
Disturbing video of the assault shows three young men, one wielding an ax or hatchet, sleeping with the teen, punching and kicking him as he hides in a park.
Video of the attack, believed to have taken place at Rhonda Diano Oval, shows two men in black T-shirts with an ax snarling as they beat the 16-year-old.
Ms. Fon said it was “very sad to end up in ED after being attacked by your own community.”
“This town has become a nightmare for everyone,” he said. ‘Stay safe.’
Despite violence and crime being a part of life in Alice Springs, the situation has worsened in the 10 months since the Northern Territory Government lifted alcohol restrictions.
A campaign by a local baker and activist, Darren Clarke, made national headlines this week, forcing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to pay a quick visit and impose partial alcohol bans.
During the brief visit to the city last week, Mr. Albanese also pledged $48.8 million over two years for programs to address crime.
The incident is just the latest in a series of violent attacks in the Outback town.
Meanwhile, police have charged two men with trespassing into the home of a 75-year-old woman who was assaulted while threatened with a blunt weapon.
Alice Springs Detective Acting Sergeant Major Rob Kent said it was “absolutely disgusting that vulnerable members of our community have been victimized in this way.”
A day care center was also vandalized, forcing it to close while forensic police rushed to the crime scene and shopkeepers repaired the damage.
This comes a day after video surfaced of a battlefront at a city pub on one of Alice Springs’ main streets last Saturday night with locals being besieged by belligerent teenagers and adults.