|
|
 |
Whyalla locals believed to be cause of
brawl with OMC
Locals from the SA rural town of Whyalla are believed to be the cause of a brawl
that broke out between hotel patrons and members of a motorcycle club at a local
hotel last Saturday.
Whyalla police were called to the fight, which had started inside the hotel, but
then spilled outside to adjacent areas.
Mid West local service area Chief Inspector Jim Jeffery said that police had to
call in additional resources in order to defuse the situation.
Locals can expect little sympathy from police if they are in fact inflaming the
situation.” Mid West local service area Chief Inspector Jim Jeffery on the
behaviour of locals around visiting motorcycle gangs
SA Ambulance also attended the scene to attend to a hotel patron who fortunately
only had minor injuries.
Chief Inspector Jeffery said that police were of the preliminary view that
locals trying to intimidate and provoking members of the motorcycle club caused
the situation.
"I consider this to be a major concern if this is in fact the case," Inspector
Jeffery said.
"The disturbing fact is that approximately six weeks ago, Whyalla police had to
attend another licenced premises to defuse a situation between visiting members
of the Gypsy Jokers motorcycle club members and locals.
"On this occasion it was clear that the locals were provoking the motorcycle
club members."
Inspector Jeffery said that Whyalla police were in communication with the
motorcycle club that was in Whyalla on the weekend, from the time they arrived
until the time they left.
"Communication between ourselves and the motorcycle group has been reasonably
healthy most of the time," he said.
"We were keeping an eye on them but obviously the police can't be everywhere at
once and the public is not helping the situation at all.
"Locals can expect little sympathy from police if they are in fact inflaming the
situation."
Inspector Jeffery said that police were conducting an investigation into
Saturday morning's incident and if some local people were found to be
responsible they could face legal action.
"Any disturbance of this magnitude places both the public and police at risk and
it would be disappointing if inquiries establish that locals are in fact
responsible," he said.
"They shouldn't be taking the law into their own hands."
