Stay away from beaches

People are being urged to stay away from beaches in Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle this weekend after police received credible threats of gang violence.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma said police had received intelligence from the public indicating gangs would target Cronulla, Sydney's eastern beaches, Wollongong, Newcastle, and some Central Coast beaches this weekend.
As a result of the latest threats, police numbers would be boosted further to 1,500 on Saturday and 2,000 on Sunday to try to prevent a repeat of last weekend's race riot at Cronulla, Mr Iemma said.
NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney had yesterday announced that an extra 1,000 police would be on duty on Saturday and an extra 1,500 on Sunday.
"The police do advise that there are credible threats of large numbers of people wishing to congregate at a range of beachside locations and do intend on riotous behaviour," Mr Iemma told reporters. "We are determined to ensure public order and safety." About 5,000 people converged on Sydney's North Cronulla beach last Sunday, sparking a race riot that led to further violence across Sydney's southern suburbs during the week. The premier urged locals and visitors to stay away from the targeted locations, where police would be conducting roadblocks and other anti-riot measures. "Based on the credibility of those threats, travel to these areas should be avoided and residents living within the areas ... should not be at those locations," Mr Iemma said.
"Police will be using tough new powers that have been granted to them following the emergency sitting of parliament." Mr Moroney apologised to the public for any inconvenience but asked them to cooperate with police and stay away from beaches in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.
"I do not seek to inconvenience the travelling public of NSW but clearly these are extraordinary measures for extraordinary times," Mr Moroney said. "You will understand there will be a large police presence as we apply the new laws in terms of lockdowns ... and the stopping and searching of motor vehicles. "I simply seek a level of cooperation from individuals and from families who are travelling to these locations that on this occasion they assist the police by not going."
He said roadblocks would be in place at various locations to be advised.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mark Goodwin, who will command the weekend's operation, said police would do all they could to keep the beaches and communities safe.
"We have intelligence that people are intending to attend those areas to conduct themselves in a riotous manner armed with various weapons – baseball bats, sticks, poles and the like – and it is my intention to keep those communities safe," Mr Goodwin said.

(taked from the Daily Telegraph, and published on 16 december 2005)