Post-match football brawl prompts liquor restriction in Broome, WA
A brawl that erupted after a Broome football match, and during which police and homes were pelted with broken bottles, have led to liquor restrictions in the West Australian town.
The brawl, involving hundreds of people, echoed similar violence following footy finals last year.
Police were also considering flying in reinforcements from Perth for next year's West Kimberley Football League finals.
The ABC understands the grand final game on Saturday afternoon, in which the Cable Beach Greenbacks beat the Looma Eagles, was largely incident-free.
But Senior Sergeant Brendon Barwick said by nightfall, up to 300 drunk people had gathered in Old Broome, fighting and pelting police and houses with broken bottles.
"[There was] large-scale alcohol consumption and general anti-social behaviour," he said.
"At one stage it's estimated there was probably between 200 to 300 people on the street; that was in the early hours of the morning, and police were pelted with bottles and other articles as they went in to try to disperse that crowd."
He said although a busy night was anticipated, police were out-numbered and could only monitor the crowd from a safe distance.
"Certainly, the officers outnumbered considerably at that time weren't going to go in and put themselves at risk," he said.
"There were bottles and other articles being thrown at them, and it was just basically watch and monitor.
"And when I was able to recall staff in the morning we went in there and sorted it out."
Locals took to The Broome Noticeboard page on Facebook to vent their frustration over the violence and the police response.
How about removing dangerous or violent people off the streets like the rest of the country.. ? I live just a couple of hundred metres from this mornings unbelievable violence and this doesnt make me or my family feel any safer.
Temporary liquor restrictions were brought in on Sunday to hamper the chances of a second violent night, further agitating the social media commentators.
Emma Jane O'Neill A bit late don't you think? this should have been done in the days leading up to the grand final, considering a similar thing happened last year
Ben Thoars What about those who can only get in on a sunday to stock up for the week? Broome isnt just a town ship. Also this will not stop the violence. Youd be silly to think it would. Just punishes people doing the right thing. For example a local footy team wins a hard earned grand final next minute alchol restrictions. Cheers police.
League targeting anti-social behaviour: CEO
West Kimberley Football League chief executive Graeme Gordon said the league put in place extra measures to mitigate anti-social behaviour.
"We had guys on the gate and people patrolling inside and I asked for police presence so police were on the inside the gates virtually searching every odd car confiscating any alcohol," he said.
"In the light of day, when things calm down, we'll talk about it as a league.
"We managed it this year inside but, you see, it's when it happens outside, I'm not sure"
Cable Beach Football Club president Mick Albert said he was disappointed by the violence.
"It's a shame that has to happen, but at the end of the day the police have a responsibility to the community to limit occurrences of that happening," he said.
"Having a good police presence at the gate and around the field helped with that, and I know the league worked really hard over the last few years especially to make sure there's no alcohol at all brought into the ground."
