By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
GREATER Dandenong councillor Peter Brown has lashed out at critics of his call for armed guards to patrol Dandenong Civic Centre and adjoining square.
Last week the Journal reported on two incidence of mob violence in and around the square.
In one melee a youth was stabbed and in another youths were bashed and one victim king-hit.
One of the gatherings involved up to 60 students from three local secondary schools.
To help quell the violence, council announced a two-week trial of extra unarmed security guards and police also stepped up patrols.
In a heated post on the Journal’s website, Cr Brown took aim at “bleeding heart social workers“ and had a simiple message for anyone participating in anti-social behaviour: “get out of town“.
Cr Brown said security guards trying to keep order in the civic precinct had been threatened as they tried to do their job.
He stood by his support for armed guards.
“If we have to arm our security to protect their lives we will, and no bleeding heart social worker on the Federal Government welfare grant payroll will talk me or any responsible councillor out of protecting our security staff, our staff and our clients and genuine visitors,“ he wrote.
“In short take your knives, take your hostile behaviour, take your anti-social behaviour and get the hell out of town.”
He later told the Journal a “softly, softly” approach was not sufficient when “people were stabbing each other”.
“That sort of threat (to security guards) has to be met with all the force we can muster in a legal sense.”
Youth Affairs Council of Victoria had earlier expressed concern that armed guards could be counterproductive.
YACV chief executive Georgie Ferrari said a more therapeutic model was needed for young people, especially from traumatised refugee backgrounds.
Trained youth workers could “get to the bottom” of the underlying issues, she said.
Centre for Multicultural Youth’s Junior Meto, who runs soccer for young people at nearby Pop-Up Park, last week said the best solution to the recent violence was early intervention by police.
“I’d say it’s an isolated incident that could easily be prevented,” he said.
“A lot of people were trying to link the problems to (Pop-Up) park.
“From what I heard it was a school incident. It needs strong early intervention from police going to the school and making a connection with the kids.”
What do you think? Would you like to see armed guards patrolling central Dandenong? Let us know at Journal@starnewsgroup.com.au
