The Cronulla riots – the sequence of events

• Introduction - the daily coverage
• December 12 - first reports
• December 13
• December 14 & 15
• December 16, 17 & 18
• Aftermath
   
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December 14 & 15

By this point The Australian was providing the heaviest coverage, with 25 articles over the two days, while the Daily Telegraph carried 15, and the SMH published only five articles each day.

Repairing the damage

The three media outlets reported on the second meeting that took place between the Maroubra surf gang, the rival Comancheros gang, and Lebanese community leaders, in a further attempt to ease tensions and demonstrate cooperation between the groups. “Ringleaders” involved in Sunday’s beach riot apologised to the Muslim community, expressing their regret and shame that what was intended to be a peaceful protest had transformed into a racial war. The public apologies were accepted by representatives from United Muslims of Australia. The Daily Telegraph included a photo of the meeting between a Cronulla local and the young Middle Eastern man that he and another local had rescued from the rioting mob on Sunday. The paper also revealed that the NSW Education Department had sent directives to all school principals, referring to the responsibility of schools in condemning racism and promoting cultural diversity.

Cronulla reactions

The Daily Telegraph reported that some Cronulla locals had temporarily abandoned their homes, while others had barricaded themselves indoors, fearful of further revenge attacks and retaliatory rioting in their suburb. They expressed their anger and sorrow about the changes wrought on their suburb and a few revealed they were thinking of moving away altogether. One young woman summed up residents’ feelings, saying: “I don’t want to live in fear … I want my freedom back.” The Sydney Morning Herald published a feature letter from one local who condemned the “Aussie” rioters’ behaviour. Far from protecting the beach, she said “women do not feel safer. We are scared. We are sickened … Don’t defend our way of life by preaching hatred, violence and racial vilification …” Local surfer girls said it was the behaviour of young men on the beach, not their race or religion, that was an issue for them. They felt the “protective” response of the “Aussies” was just an excuse to get drunk and aggro. Surf lifesaving events at Cronulla beaches were cancelled after clubs expressed their concerns about sending members into potential conflicts. Cronulla lifesavers revealed that dealing with aggression and harassment from beachgoers was a normal part of their experience, but it had “been getting worse the past few months”.

Muslim/Lebanese communities respond

Lebanese community leaders held “crisis meetings” to discuss the ongoing violence being perpetrated by young men from their community. Muslim community leaders warned that the events could radicalise young Muslim men and encourage them toward extremism. Young Lebanese men revealed that they feared for their safety as they knew their appearance made them easy targets. One young man said the conflict was “not a religious thing but pretty much came down to the fact that you are a wog”. Community leaders condemned the media for focusing on the apparent race and religion in covering the violence and anger among “beach-going youth”. The Muslim Women’s Association called for parents to impose curfews and keep their teenage and young adult children at home until tensions eased. Lebanese Muslim parents expressed their anger and shame that the behaviours of young men who rejected both their community and religious values were creating more negative perceptions of their culture and community. Young men revealed that they snuck out of their homes to participate in retaliatory attacks, while others condemned the behaviour of their peers and called for people to “communicate and interact with those they might not usually talk to”.

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