World sees Sydney in a new light
IMAGES of the weekend's beach riots flashed across the world, with newspapers in Europe, Asia and the Americas reporting that racial clashes had turned Sydney's suburbs "into a battleground".
The Al-Jazeera television network showed footage, while its website reported the race riots were "started by mobs of youths who attacked people of Middle Eastern appearance".
In London, The Times headlined its story "Battle on beach as mob vows to defend 'Aussie way of life"'. USA Today said: "Drunken white youths attacked police and people they believed were Arab immigrants."
The story also ran in Muslim countries such as Morocco, Kuwait, Pakistan and Malaysia, where the Prime Minister, John Howard, is due to arrive today for the inaugural East Asia Summit.
Singapore's TODAYOnline reported that 5000 people went on a racist witch-hunt "severely tainting the country's tolerant and laid-back image".
At home, opinion was deeply divided. Some talkback callers said they were proud to see "Australians" stand up to the Lebanese community. Authorities had done nothing, they said, so it was time for people to take the law into their own hands.
"I don't know what it is with the Middle East, but they seem to want to be above everyone else," said one caller to 2GB.
Others were disgusted. "I am embarrassed and appalled by these cowards, projecting their thuggery under the banner of 'Australianism'," one person told smh.com.au. Another said the riot "sickened me to the core".
Sydney's Catholic Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, said the riots were a disgrace. "Violent action by vigilante groups anywhere is not acceptable."