Indian students demand protection from the police against gangs of Lebanese youths marauding around Harris Park in Sydney on June 10, 2009 as racial tensions mount in the area. (AFP)
There have been protests in Sydney by Indian students against the spurt in racist attacks, the latest by some Lebanese men.
Students say the police are not doing enough. Two people were arrested. One was charged for carrying a weapon but the other person was released.There are reports that the Indians retaliated, attacking three Lebanese men.
Now the Australian government is taking tough measures:
- Dog squads, mounted branch and the air-wing will patrol streets round the clock
- Police in plainclothes will also patrol streets in Sunshine and St Albans, which has seen most of these attacks
The measures Indian students doubt will be effective. Says one Indian student who was injured during the recent attack: "There were around 10 Lebanese people and they were in cars and they were fully armed with baseball bats and stuff like that. And this thing happens in front of police, and still they're still reassuring us that they will give us security. What kind of security?"
But the government claims the new measures will deal with violence sternly.
Says Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd: "I fully support hardline measures in response to any act of violence towards any student anywhere -- Indian or otherwise. And furthermore we also need to render as completely unacceptable people taking the law into their own hands."
As the recent attacks continue to make headlines in the Australian media, the government is clearly under pressure to act at a time when questions are being asked about the country's image as a student-friendly destination.