WA:WA police probe race angle in attack

AAP General News (Australia)
08-16-2010
WA:WA police probe race angle in attack

PERTH, Aug 16 AAP - Police are investigating an alleged racist attack on a Kimberley
highway after five young Aboriginal men were chased and their car was smashed up by men
with baseball bats.

On the way from Kununurra to Wyndham on Saturday to attend a race meeting the young
men stopped at Maggie Creek and noticed two vehicles pull in behind them, a police spokeswoman
said on Monday.

The Aboriginal group, aged 18 to 23, then heard a loud smash and fled their vehicle
in different directions around 4.30pm (WST), she said.

One later got a lift with a family member into Wyndham where he alerted police who
went to the scene to find their vehicle with a smashed back windscreen.

The other young men were found nearby but none were injured, the spokeswoman said.

"The motive for the attack remains unsolved," she said.

The spokeswoman said police were yet to validate reports about the attack carried in
the West Australian newspaper.

The newspaper said a group of "balaclava-clad white men smashed their car with baseball
bats", and police were investigating if it was racially motivated.

One of the young men had said he was chased into the bush by an attacker who was shouting
"monkey blood, we like monkey blood", the newspaper said.

The father of one of the young men said he was concerned they were targeted because
they were Aboriginal.

"From what the boys tell me this sounds like something which happened in Alabama ...

not in Australia," he said.

Police have appealed for information from the public on the incident and say the two
vehicles being sought were a blue Toyota Landcruiser and a white dual-cab ute.

AAP ldj/jm

KEYWORD: ATTACK

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