http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/race-attacks-spread-to-perth-adelaide/2005/12/13/1134236057842.html
Race attacks spread to Perth, Adelaide
December 13, 2005 - 6:42PM
Attacks on a Middle Eastern family in Perth and a Lebanese Australian taxidriver in Adelaide have been linked to Sydney's race violence.
In an alarming sign Sydney's race-fuelled problems may be spreading, a family of Middle Eastern origin was attacked in Perth by a group of 11 Caucasian men, who threw eggs, shouted abuse and kicked the garage door.
The 42-year-old father of the Kewdale family, who does not want to be identified, said his family was badly shaken by last night's incident.
"I don't know if we were mistakenly identified," he told ABC Radio.
"What I definitely know is it was something linked to the escalation in NSW."
Perth police Superintendent Shayne Maines said police could not rule out a link between the attack and the racial violence in Sydney.
"There was some suggestion they did make ethnically-related comments to the occupant of the house," Mr Maines said.
"We can't rule it out until the investigation is complete, but this is obviously a very emotional issue."
Western Australia's Premier Geoff Gallop described the attack as an unacceptable act of bigotry.
"These incidents do occur from time to time in our community and they're unacceptable," he said.
In Adelaide, a taxidriver of Lebanese origin, Hossein Kazemi, was injured when punched by a passenger during an incident at suburban Gilberton today.
"There was some sort of discrepancy and argument over the fare," a South Australian Police spokesman said.
"Apparently during the assault, the victim, because he was of Lebanese origin, was taunted about the stuff in Sydney and Cronulla beach."
The taxidriver later said the incident had marred his view of Australia as a tolerant society.
"I believed Australia is a free country, (it) is the best country in the world but now, I see that (it) is highly racist here," Mr Kazemi told the Seven Network.
Police said a 29-year-old man from Unanderra, in NSW, had been charged with assault following the incident.
Another man, believed to be a second passenger in the taxi, was charged with hindering police.
Meanwhile, Islamic Council of Victoria offices in west Melbourne have been vandalised for the second time in a month.
A brick was thrown through the front window of the building.
"We understand that it's not something that's accepted by the broader society and we do get a lot of emails and calls and letters of support at times like this as well," the council's Waleed Ali told ABC radio.
Islamic Council of Victoria chairman Malcom (Malcom) Thomas said he believed yesterday's attack was linked to race violence in Sydney.
"What seems to be the pattern is when an event happens overseas there is a spike in this sort of thing. And yes I believe this is in relation to the events in Sydney," he told AAP.
"Really a retaliatory action to what happened in Sydney on the weekend I think."