A public forum held at Alexandria Park Community School on June 9 drew more than 90 residents, many from the Asian migrant community, to address growing concerns about safety in Green Square, Zetland, and surrounding suburbs.
Hosted by Deputy Lord Mayor Zann Maxwell, the forum was convened in response to a disturbing rise in local incidents, including the violent assault of a Chinese couple at Eastgardens in late May. Seven youths, aged between 11 and 16, have been charged over the attack.
“As your Deputy Lord Mayor – and a Zetland local myself – I am committed to ensuring our community is a safe and harmonious place for everyone,” said Cr Maxwell.
Superintendent Andrew Garner of the South Sydney Police Area Command confirmed that the perpetrators were dealt with under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act and were now under close supervision. “There is no weapon that’s legal to carry on your person”, he warned, in response to concerns that some young Asian Australians were considering arming themselves in self-defence.
While police maintain there is no evidence the Eastgardens assault was racially motivated, many forum participants felt otherwise. “Chinese people are an easy target”, one speaker said, “because they won’t fight back and offenders don’t fear consequences”.
Community leader Tony Pang OAM and NSW Advocate for Children and Young People Zoe Robinson also addressed the forum. Robinson emphasised the value of community-led responses. “When a community responds based on what a community needs, you have good outcomes”, she said, citing grassroots programs like Granny Patrol in Bourke as a model.
Tensions flared when a small group of protesters disrupted the forum for over 20 minutes, accusing police of racism. Although their concerns were acknowledged, they were eventually asked to leave after refusing to let others speak.
The forum also highlighted broader social concerns, including youth unemployment, the marginalisation of Aboriginal communities, and the lack of early childhood education services. Several speakers urged authorities to address the root causes of crime through better support services rather than increased policing.
Supt Garner acknowledged the complexity: “Police can’t create all the safe spaces. Community needs to create them – places of trust and safety.”
A followup forum, specifically for the Chinese community, was hosted by Sydney Police Area Command on June 18 in Haymarket.
Update: Deputy Lord Mayor Zann Maxwell introduced a motion at the City of Sydney’s June meeting, calling for Council to investigate ways it can have an institutional presence on online platforms popular with the Chinese community, such as WeChat and RedNote, to bridge the information gap and build awareness and trust. The motion was passed with unanimous support. Cr Maxwell has also initiated discussions with the NSW Police on taking a similar approach to “meeting the community where they are” with regard to police community safety communications.
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To report non-urgent crime, phone NSW Police on 131 444 or visit the Community Portal online.
