Australia: Policing racial tension: Slowly, anatomy of Australia's race tensions revealed, "Whites" vs "Mideasterners"

Australia's police are facing up to the fuller import of last week's race riots at Sydney's beaches, leading to a raid on the city's world-famous beaches, some say the finest anywhere.

Police in Sydney have seized weapons including swords, iron bars and petrol bombs in a major operation to prevent a repeat of last week's racial violence. "¶Residents largely stayed away from the city's famous beaches, as 2,000 police patrolled the areas in cars, boats, helicopters, on foot and on horseback. "¶Nearly 60 people have been arrested since Friday, and 100 charges laid. "¶Thousands of white men attacked people of Arabic and Mediterranean background on Cronulla Beach last Sunday. "¶The violence was apparently sparked by a recent attack on two lifeguards. "¶After last Sunday's assaults, groups described by police as having Middle Eastern or Mediterranean appearance were then involved in two nights of violence and vandalism. "¶Calm has been restored, but isolated incidents have continued."

refWrite's Australian Dossier:
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