2005 Cronulla Riots - Aftermath

Aftermath

Additional smaller riots occurred on the following nights in the suburbs of Marouba and Brighton-le-Sands as well as Cronulla. Similar text messages had also turned up in other states including Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

On 12 December, rioters had written various Anti-Australian sentiments including; “Aussi to Die”, “Intifada”, “It’s war”, “Sunday cowards die, Soldiers rize ”, “Never rest assie dog”, “Yous came by chains u convict dogs”, and “We fear no ozy pigs” before continuing to destroy cars and local shops. Approximately 2000 people gathered inside Lakemba Mosque with another 800 gathered outside the evening after the riot. Sheikh Shady Suleiman spoke to the crowd and called for calm. However some were armed with Glock pistols which they displayed to the media. At least some of the people gathered were reported to have planned to go on to Maroubra, however the police blocked roads leading into Maroubra and 20 police cars surrounded the mosque. The Uniting Church in Auburn, a predominantly Tongan congregation, was burned and those attending christmas carols were abused and threatened. More than 30 Molotov cocktails were also confiscated by police.

800 police officers formed Operation Seta and were on patrol on the following nights, with up to 450 police officers blockading Cronulla on the night of 13 December and an additional 11 people were arrested; five were arrested in relation to a replica pistol and six were arrested for property damage. An additional seven people were injured including another police officer. A husband and wife were taken to hospital after the wife was struck in the head and the husband tried to defend her, and another man was struck by a baseball bat and suffered a fractured forearm.