By Asia Samachar | Australia |
A nasty brawl involving some 40 people armed with ‘golf clubs, baseball bats, poles’ have got the police actively engaging the local community to get to its bottom.
On Monday (13 Sept), two groups confronted each other at Daw Street in Brisbane’s southern suburb in what resulted in ‘a very confronting scene’, according to the police. It resulted with a number of people hospitalised and the police taking into custody eight men. The men, between 22 and 38, were later released.
“We don’t understand the motive of how it escalated to 40 people behaving like that last night…..What we know at this stage is that they are two groups that are known to each other,” Queensland Police Service (QPS) acting superintendent Simon Tayler said in a press conference. “We know that there were golf clubs, baseball bats, poles – different aspects of weapons.” Click here for link to QPS Press Conference:
In a two-paragraph statement released on its social media platforms yesterday, Sikh Temple Brisbane (Gurdwara) Inc said the gurdwara committee ‘strongly condemns the behaviour of these individuals’ who brought disrepute to the whole community.
“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated, and the committee will provide full cooperation to the Queensland Police Service and assist them in their investigations. Sikhism is a peaceful religion and action of select few individuals does not reflect the ethics, values, and morals of our wider community,” it said.
In the press conference, Tayler said: “It is totally unacceptable to be a part, even passively, of a fray of 40 people in a suburban area. We really need to push that message that the behaviour, whether they’re known to each or not, is unacceptable.”
Asked if the incident was due to religious or philosophical differences, he said they were not sure at this juncture.
“The reality is, it is very early on. We have been engaging with members of this community….We don’t understand the motive of how it escalated to 40 people behaving like that last night…..What we know at this stage is that they are two groups that are known to each other,” he said.
He added that preliminary investigation had indicated that there had been ‘some social media chat’ in relation to the incident.
The gurdwara is scheduled to have its annual general meeting (AGM) on Sept 25 as indicated by the notice shared on its social media platforms. It is not clear if this has anything to do do with the brawl.
In an earlier note shared at its social media platforms, the management committee said the gurdwara’s membership drive in March 2021 received unusually high number of membership applications which has never happened before. The applications have jumped from 245 last year to excess of 3,000 this year.
“This has raised a serious question about authenticity of the membership application this year. The Management Committee has obligation to carefully consider each application before approving for Membership,” according to the note attributed to the ‘management committee’. Again, it is not clear if the note shared on 20 May 2021 has any bearing to the brawl.
Update for clarity: The brawl occurred on the streets of a suburb in Runcorn away from the gurdwara, between two parties in a dispute.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |
It is shameful that some people have taken it into their heads to do things which makes the whole community hang its head in shame.
We have some wonderful people who helped the needy in the COVID-19 crisis and won kudos for the Sikhs. Then we have these rascals and rogues,who in one stroke brought shame on the community.
It’s time for us to stand up and take action against all who were involved, and ostracize them, so that these people will be an example to the other like minded ones.
Disgraceful.
Could the brawl be due to coming elections where different groups may use any means to get power over management of Gurdwara. Sahib which could be due to the accumulated or high regular wealth of the Gurdwara Sahib as may be suspected or perceived to have happened in the past in other Sikh Gurdwaras Sahib also in India and may be in other countries?
The high wealth and revenues (and voting power) of various religious institutions worldwide have been perceived to be targets for control by various groups including Politicians and those in power in some countries.
Bless all
A sad day – Monday 13 September 2021.
Let’s pray to Waheguru that it doesn’t happen again.
As my late wife’s father (a former president of Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia Gurdawara) would say “Waheguru helps those that help themselves” we must play our part in ensuring that we manage our Gurdawara activities correctly and welcome with sincerity all members.
Thank you.
Kuldip Singh s/o Durbara.
Petaling Jaya.
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