Suong Nguyen was ‘scared’ of woman in niqab before racist attack, court told

August 14 2017 – 5:53PM

Stephanie Gardiner

Suong Nguyen was “scared” of a woman wearing a niqab when she banged on her car door, told her to take off her mask, and called her a terrorist.

The victim, Semaa Abdulwali, filmed the racist attack in the car park at Macquarie University on January 20, and the footage was watched by millions of people when her husband Ramzy Alamudi posted it online.

Nguyen was on Monday handed good behaviour bonds and a fine, after pleading guilty to intimidation and causing damage.

Magistrate Suzanne Seagrave said Nguyen displayed an “unexplainable prejudice that has no place whatsoever in our multicultural society”.

 

Suong Thao Nguyen during a racist rant outside Macquarie University in January 2017. Photo: Facebook

“It appeared to have been triggered by Mrs Abdulwali’s apparel, something that Ms Nguyen immediately resented and was angered by,” the magistrate said.

“The motive was prejudice against people of a particular faith.”

Nguyen’s lawyer, Andrew Tiedt, said the university had banned her from campus, and the incident had shattered her family life.

He said Nguyen wanted to express her remorse to the victims, who watched on as she banged on their windows, yelled, and paced around the front of their car.

 

Semaa Abdulwali filmed as Suong Thao Nguyen banged on her car door. Photo: Facebook

“She regrets what she did … and says she understands the distress and fear it would have caused,” Mr Tiedt said.

“She’s sure they’ve been through quite an ordeal through this process.”

Suong Nguyen covers her face as she leaves court on Monday. Photo: Supplied

Mr Tiedt said there was no excuse for Ms Nguyen’s actions.

“There’s an unjustified, but growing fear of the Muslim community and that isn’t in any way justifying what occurred.

“She was scared, she was afraid of them, then completely overreacted.”

He said Nguyen was recognised on the street after the video of the attack was widely shared.

“This has been a horrific six months for her and that’s by her own making.

“It seems everyone in Sydney has seen the video … that’s a stain on Ms Nguyen’s character.

“It’s unpleasant conduct to the extreme … she knows she did the wrong thing.”

Police prosecutor Ernest Chan said the victims were subjected to a prolonged and disturbing rant that was “unfounded racial and religious prejudice”.

Nguyen’s actions were motivated by hatred, he said.

“This is an incident that will have life-long impacts on both victims.”

Ms Seagrave handed Nguyen a two-year good behaviour bond for the intimidation charge, fined her $750, and ordered she be supervised by Community Corrections.

The magistrate said Nguyen must obey any directions to go into anger management counselling.

She was also handed a one-year good behaviour bond for the damage charge, to be served at the same time, and to pay $817 for damage to the couple’s car.

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‘People must stand up against these things’: Man films racial tirade at Coburg park

January 6 2017 – 6:33AM

Emily Woods

Ahmed Abou-eid was enjoying a beautiful day with family at Harmony Park in Coburg on Wednesday when things turned ugly.

“My wife and friends frequent that park often, and the kids have a great time. It’s called Harmony Park for a reason – there’s so much friendliness in the park,” the Thornbury man said.

Racist tirade at Coburg park
Caution: strong language. An intoxicated man hurls racial abuse at a family enjoying a picnic at a park in Melbourne’s north.

“We had three female friends of mine with their children, and they probably had seven kids with them, the park was quite full and there were a lot of kids playing around.”

A man clutching a whisky bottle, hurling offensive language and racial abuse, quickly changed the mood from playful to frightening.

The man who racially abused several adults and children at a popular Coburg park on Wednesday. Photo: Ahmed Abou-eid.

“This man was sitting on his own, on a table, and there was a couple not far from him sitting on a table next to him, and he started hurling abuse at them, and telling them to get out of the country,” Mr Abou-eid said.

“And so they left and then he came over to the playground where the kids were and started doing the same thing to us.”

Mr Abou-eid said said the man was clearly intoxicated, slurring his words and wobbling as he approached and started hurling abuse at anyone within earshot.

The man walked back to the table, and then came back for a second round. Mr Abou-eid said that was when he decided to film him.

“I thought this is too close for comfort, I better film this,” he said.

“F— off you wog,” the man can be heard yelling in the video. “What are you going to do?”

“Nothing, go back to where you’re sitting,” Mr Abou-eid responds.

“Have you thought about my family? No you don’t even think about it,” the man says, in between expletives, repeating the words “wog” and “dago”.

Ahmed Abou-eid, back centre, with his family (left to right) Salma, Isra, Yasmin and Aladdin. Photo: Facebook

The man walks closer to Mr Abou-eid, realising he is being filmed, and says “you’re not allowed to take my picture”.

He walks around the playground, next to where the children are playing. “Oh you’re a macho man,” he says, inciting a fight.

He then turns on one of the women, “Go back to Greece you f—ing wog,” he yells.

“Have you thought about my family? No you don’t even think about it,” the man says, in between expletives, repeating the words “wog” and “dago”.

The man walks closer to Mr Abou-eid, realising he is being filmed, and says “you’re not allowed to take my picture”.

He walks around the playground, next to where the children are playing. “Oh you’re a macho man,” he says, inciting a fight.

He then turns on one of the women, “Go back to Greece you f—ing wog,” he yells.

The man eventually throws a punch at Mr Abou-eid, but Mr Abou-eid does not retaliate.

“Just go back, just go back,” he says to the man. At the end of the video the man sits down inside the playground, crosses his legs, and clutches his bottle of whisky.

Mr Abou-eid said after he stopped filming, several people around him decided to leave the park.

“Some families got their kids and got in their cars and drove off, and then about six or seven guys surrounded him and I think he got scared so he stopped abusing everybody,” he said.

Police were called several times during the altercation. Once they arrived the man was taken away, but Mr Abou-eid said he did not want to press charges as he didn’t want to relive what had happened.

“The police told me, they’ve had a few problems with him in the area, but not in the park, and not actually abusing anyone to the extent that he had that day,” he said.

“You think it’s the drink or the alcohol, but these people have this racism in them that comes out of them the more they drink.

“I would love to ask him why he has that much hatred towards people from overseas and what has someone done to him to make him feel like that.”

He said, by filming the incident, he hoped he could make people aware of the abuse, and urged people not to stay silent.

“These things are happening, they are real and people must stand up against these things. If they see something like that happen, don’t walk away, help out if someone needs help, step in,” Mr Abou-eid said.

Mr Abou-eid said he worried about how witnessing such abuse could affect his children in the future.

“My six-year-old asked me today if the man was still in jail. They’re still thinking about it, and they’re scared to go back to the park again,” he said.

“That park is a meeting point for a lot of friends and family, but now we will kind of think twice about whether we will go there.”

Moreland City Council mayor Helen Davidson said the behaviour was unacceptable.

“Moreland takes great pride in having such a culturally diverse community. This behaviour goes against what the community of Moreland stands for,” she said.

“Harmony Park was created by Moreland for people to come together; people of all ages, cultures and abilities. This footage shows that Moreland’s community does not tolerate this behaviour.”

Advice from the Australian Human Rights Commission about being a bystander to racial abuse is “if you see something, say something, if it feels safe to do so”.

“It doesn’t have to be aggressive, in fact it’s often more effective if it’s not. It could be as simple as saying ‘Why don’t you just leave him/her alone?”‘

Fairfax Media has chosen to blur the face of the man yelling abuse due to his level of intoxication.

 
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‘It’s disgusting that it happened’: Shopper goes on racist rant at Melton Coles

January 5 2017 – 12:05PM

Deborah Gough

A woman has gone on a racist rant against two shoppers at a Coles supermarket in Melbourne’s west, threatening them with a food tin and abusing staff as they tried to defuse the aggressive situation.

An account of the rant suggests the woman became aggressive when she thought two women of African appearance had pushed in front of her at the checkout at Coles in the Woodgrove Shopping Centre in Melton on Wednesday afternoon.

“I was here, I was here first,” the woman yells in the video.

As staff attempt to take her to another register she picks up what looks like a Milo tin and threatens to throw it at one of the two women.

The woman became aggressive while shopping at a Coles supermarket in Melton. Photo: supplied

“I’ll f—ing throw it at you, c—,” she rants.

“‘You f—ing go back to your own country, you piece of f—ing shit,” she can be heard saying on the video.

The woman, who is accompanied by a toddler girl, is eventually escorted away by staff.

The video appears on the public Facebook page Melton/Bacchus Marsh Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down where it was given the thumbs down by anonymous administrators.

“Thumbs down to this woman for her language, racist taunts and disgusting attitude. I am horrified to think this thing may live in OUR town. This is not how we act in Melton. Shame on anyone who thinks her behaviour is acceptable,” the administrator wrote.

Many commented that the racist and aggressive behaviour was particularly upsetting because the woman was with a little girl at the time.

Speaking to Fairfax Media, the administrator said the original post described the video as a “classic day in Melton” but the administrator said this did not reflect the suburb.

“This is not an everyday occurrence in Melton and, if it was, no one would have made a video of it because it would be happening all the time,” the administrator said.

“It is disgusting that it happened.”

The administrator said Woodgrove Coles staff who subscribed to the Facebook page confirmed the rant had occurred on Wednesday but said the two women who were the subject of the rant had not “pushed in”.

The administrator said initial reports suggested staff were the subject of the rant but the video and eyewitness accounts show they were not the target.

Coles has been contacted for comment.

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‘Invading our country’: Racist rant on Adelaide public bus caught on video

 

Sarah Muller

A woman has been caught on camera delivering a racist rant on an Adelaide public bus on Saturday afternoon

The video, filmed by a commuter on the bus, shows a woman yelling obscenities at a mother and child of Asian appearance, and two other passengers who came to their defence.

The couple, Jenny and Clive Starr, told Channel 9 they comforted the victims afterwards and confirmed they were okay.

SA Premier Jay Weatherill has criticised the racist remarks, saying: “This is not us, this is not who we are.”

SA police have declared the incident “not acceptable” and confirmed they will investigate the incident, asking any witnesses to contact police.

The woman could face charges of disorderly behaviour.

Police encourage anyone who witnesses or is the victim of similar behaviour to contact police.

 

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Unlikely feminist hero: Army chief’s video message draws plaudits

June 14, 2013 – 11:32AM

Rachel Olding

Reporter

In full: Army chief's scathing warning
 Chief of Army David Morrison sends a stern warning to Australia's armed forces on Thursday regarding unacceptable behaviour.

His organisation is in the midst of yet another internet sex scandal but the Chief of Army, Lieutenant-General David Morrison, has emerged as the unlikely poster boy for feminism.

If that does not suit you then get out

Following revelations of further “demeaning, explicit and profane” behaviour by his army members, the tough-talking army chief released a powerful video message on Thursday night telling defence members who degrade women: “We don’t want you.”

Steely stare: Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

The three-minute “smack down” has earned him the tag of “feminist hero” on social media and even suggestions that he should run for prime minister.

With a steely death stare, General Morrison vowed to ruthlessly rid the army of sexist men and told defence members to “find something else to do with your life” if they couldn’t uphold the values of the organisation.

“No one has ever explained to me how the exploitation or degradation of others enhances capability or honours the traditions of the Australian Army,” he says in the video posted on the Department of Defence website.

“Those who think that it is OK to behave in a way that demeans or exploits their colleagues have no place in this army.”

“On all operations, female soldiers and officers have proven themselves worthy of the best traditions of the Australian Army. They are vital to us maintaining our capability now and into the future.

“If that does not suit you then get out. You may find another employer where your attitude and behaviour is acceptable but I doubt it.”

The video was posted on YouTube, where it quickly amassed thousands of views and more than 300 comments.

It followed a week of accusations of misogyny, including an attack by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on the Coalition’s ranks of “men in blue ties”, the emergence of a menu comparing Ms Gillard’s body to a cooked quail and the suspension of a Perth radio host who repeatedly questioned her partner’s sexuality.

In response to the General Morrison’s video and the week’s events, feminist commentator Jane Caro said: “Feminist heroes turn up in the unlikeliest places, that’s what keeps my hope alive.”

She tweeted: “Quick, can we organise a series of leadership seminars run by the ADF’s David Morrison for all our politicians before Sept 14?”

The feminist group Destroy The Joint shared the video on social media and said that General Morrison has emerged from the week as “someone who’s got their marbles”.

Others said his performance was a remarkable show of “real leadership” that is all too rare in Australian public life.

“I’d almost forgotten what a true leader sounds like,” said political commentator and author George Megalogenis, who called the general “a gun”.

TV host Marc Fennell called it the speech of 2013 to which another Twitter user replied: “I can’t stop fist pumping. That’s f–ing leadership right there”.

General Morrison finished the video with a stern warning to Defence Force members that it was up to them to make a difference.

He called on innocent members to “show moral courage” and take a stand against those who displayed degrading behaviour.

“If you’re not up to it find something else to do with your life. There is no place for you among this band of brothers and sisters.”

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Facebook post boasts of gay hate crimes in Civic

January 12, 2013

Michael Inman

An anti-gay comment on the Canberra Confessions Facebook site.

The administrator of a confessional webpage is unrepentant after publishing the offensive boasts of a Canberra man who said he had committed hate crimes against gay men in Civic.

Facebook page Canberra Confessions published an anonymous post from a Canberran who claimed he had met gay men in Cube nightclub in order to lure them outside and bash them.

The confession said the man faked his sexuality to set the trap and then robbed his victims after the assault.

The author bragged he had assaulted three men already and planned to continue the practice.

“Will keep doin [sic] it until the dirty c—- are eradicated from our streets,” he wrote. The post received about 32 likes and 79 comments, both in support and against, in the three hours it was online.

The page administrator confirmed to Fairfax Media that the post was removed by Facebook because it did not comply with the social network’s standards.

At least one concerned Facebook user reported the post to police.

But a spokesman for ACT Policing said: “Given the information provided, police are unable to establish the veracity of this material. Anyone who has been a victim of crime is encouraged to report it to ACT Policing.” Cube nightclub said it was unaware of any incidents matching the modus operandi described in the post.

But a spokesman for the Canberra gay community said he knew of a young man bashed in circumstances eerily similar to the boasts on the post.

Diversity ACT president Ian Goudie said he knew of another man attacked after leaving the gay nightspot.

Mr Goudie said homophobia was still common in the capital, despite its progressive stance on marriage equality.

“We set up a [helpline] in August and we have already had 140 calls for help to that number,” Mr Goudie said.

“I can guarantee that every day a heterosexual will persecute a homosexual verbally or physically in the ACT.”

Despite the outrage, the Canberra Confessions administrator, who wished to remain anonymous, told Fairfax Media the page would continue to publish all admissions uncensored.

“All confessions will be published regardless of entertainment value, moral fibre, political correctness or otherwise,” Canberra Confessions wrote.

“I do not condone or support anything that is posted, I just run the page.

“The goal of CC is to provide a platform for people from Canberra to get anything off their mind that they might not feel comfortable telling anybody else, whilst remaining totally anonymous.”

The page was started last Monday and had already attracted more than 70 confessions and 1500 “likes”.

The administrator said the identities of confessors would not be revealed, “under any circumstance.”

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