Police were forced to arrest 24 young people after the notorious Apex gang ran riot at Melbourne’s Moomba festival in 2016, forcing terrified members of the public to run in fear for their lives.
More than 50 people were arrested when the Moomba festival descended into chaos in 2017, for a second year running.
Now hours before the annual Moomba festival is due to open on the south bank of the Yarra River, police said they are preparing for the worst.
Police were forced to arrest 24 young people after the notorious Apex gang ran riot at Melbourne’s Moomba festival in 2016, forcing terrified members of the public to run in fear for their lives (pictured)
In 2016 officers were forced to deploy pepper spray as organised brawls broke out in front of horrified families at the community event.
Police seized weapons including knives, scissors, a taser and a knuckle duster after conducting more than 800 searches following the 2017 event.
More than 100 youths were filmed causing chaos in Federation Square and on Swanston Street, many of whom claimed to be part of the Apex gang.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the force was ‘beefing up’ ahead of this year’s event.
In 2016 officers were forced to deploy pepper spray as organised brawls broke out in front of horrified families at the community event (pictured)
More than 50 people were arrested when the Moomba festival descended into chaos in 2017, for a second year running (officers at the festival in 2017 pictured)
More than 100 youths were filmed causing chaos in Federation Square and on Swanston Street, many of whom claimed to be part of the Apex gang
Chief Commissioner Ashton said the force called in specialist officers and would rely on a new technological operating model.
He said there would be 68 CCTV camera feeds installed, with social media data running in the background.
The Chief Commissioner said he ordered officers to ‘jump on anything that looks like it’s breaking the law’.
‘Get out and have a go… go hard,’ he told the Sunday Herald Sun.
Two years after the first Moomba festival riot on March 12, 2016, Melbourne residents said they were still living in fear of members of the largely Sudanese gang.
Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said Melbourne residents were terrified and didn’t see an end to the violence.
‘Everybody keeps saying that crime is on the decrease, that it’s these specific sorts of offences being committed by and large by a small group,’ he said.
‘Well, there seems to be a lot of small groups, because it’s happening all over Melbourne and regional Victoria.’
Chief Commissioner Ashton said the force called in specialist officers and would rely on a new technological operating model (officers pictured at 2016 event)
The Chief Commissioner said he ordered officers to ‘jump on anything that looks like it’s breaking the law’ following two years of riots (2017 pictured)
Hayden Bradford, who set up Protect Victoria, has slammed the judiciary system for being too forgiving of violent offenders.
He said he was annoyed young offenders were released with just a slap on the wrist due to their young age.
‘We’re sick and tired of these bastards getting out of jail,’ he said.
A young African thug who burst into a Melbourne barber shop and terrorised employees and customers was jailed for three months in January.
Somalian born Jamali Musa, 20, was sentenced in January, six months after the terrifying attack in June 2017.
In CCTV footage from the attack, Musa was seen throwing a chair across the room as another 15 to 20 men stormed the Footscray store.
During the frightening brawl, a man was attacked with a hatchet and electric clippers.
The court heard the fight was the result of a disagreement between Musa and a man he played soccer against, who was a customer at the barber at the time.
The group’s target was clobbered with an axe and rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Musa pleaded guilty to affray, which carries a maximum sentence of two years’ jail, but was sentenced to three months behind bars.
Another young man who was convicted of masterminding a series of armed heists across Melbourne was jailed for three years.
Mahmoud Taha, 21, was linked to the infamous Apex street gang when he organised the armed hold-up of a courier and the robbery of two jewellery stores in 2016.
He was sentenced in the County Court of Victoria on Monday, March 5.