Australian police yesterday denied trying to cover up a serious racial attack on four Indian men that renewed fears over the safety of South Asian students.
A police spokesman said authorities had not tried to hush up the assault, after reporters questioned why it had taken four days to release details of Saturday evening’s incident.
The attack, which was widely reported in Indian media, comes as Canberra tries to pacify New Delhi’s alarm over a wave of similar incidents in recent months.
However, acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Parker said the police media department knew about the assault early on Sunday but did not issue a statement until yesterday, four days after the event.
“There has been no deliberate attempt to suppress it,” he told reporters, without offering an explanation for the delay.
Police are probing allegations the four Indians were attacked outside a Melbourne bar late on Saturday as a mob looked on shouting racist abuse. A relative of two of the victims said injuries included a broken jaw, broken shoulder and smashed teeth.
Police said the men were playing pool in the bar when a woman allegedly directed a racist remark at them. When they left the bar, four men attacked them in the venue’s car park.
Police at the scene also said they heard a group of about 15 men and women, who had been with the attackers, making racist comments.
“After police removed the victims from the scene, the larger group continued with their threatening behavior and racist remarks,” a police statement said yesterday.
Onkar Singh, whose brothers-in-law were injured, said at least 70 people ambushed the men as they left the bar.
“[They] were shouting at them, ‘You Indians go back to your country’ ... even the women, they have scratched their faces and everyone was beating [them],” he told public broadcaster ABC.
Police said they arrested and interviewed four men but later released them pending further investigations.
A series of attacks on Indian students triggered street protests in May and strained diplomatic ties. The latest attack prompted headlines such as “Racism in Australia” and “Unsafe Down Under” in the Indian media.
Victoria state Premier John Brumby will visit India next week to give safety assurances, after similar trips by Australian Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is also due to visit.
“I don’t think there is any doubt at all that some of the events over the last few months have damaged our brand and the Australian brand in India,” Brumby said.
The attacks have cast a shadow over an education industry worth A$15.5 billion (US$13.4 billion). About 95,000 Indians are studying in Australia.
The Federation of Indian Students in Australia (FISA), a representative body, said promises by authorities to crack down on the violence had proved hollow.
“People are still being bashed, people are still being abused, people are still subject to racist comments,” FISA president Amit Menghani said. “Police promised a zero-tolerance approach but, as far as students are concerned, that has not happened.”
Menghani also warned that students may take to the streets again if the violence continued.
“I would not be surprised,” he said. “People are very, very angry.”
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