Race hate takes
over Sydney's
beaches

AUSTRALIA: SYD: POLICE yesterday declared six popular beaches unsafe for public use this weekend after intelligence revealed armed rioters are planning attacks.

In an unprecedented move, Police Commissioner Ken Moroney urged people to stay away from Cronulla, Maroubra and Bondi beaches in Sydney, Terrigal on the Central Coast, Nobbys Beach in Newcastle and beaches in Wollongong.

The lockdown decision was made after police received "credible threats" the areas would become race riot zones.

"These are extraordinary measures for extraordinary times," Mr Moroney said.

Those who ignore the advice will have their cars searched at checkpoints and will be turned away by police, unless they have a valid reason for going into the areas.

Intelligence, which includes e-mails and SMS messages, has revealed rioters planning attacks may bring weapons, including guns, baseball bats and sticks.

The information has prompted Mr Moroney to task another 500 police to patrol the beachside flashpoints on Sunday, bringing the total number to 2000.

The fight against the racial unrest will be long, according to Premier Morris Iemma, who said he regretted having to declare beach areas off limits.

"The police have advised me there are credible threats of large numbers of people wishing to converge at a range of beachside locations intent on riotous behaviour," he said.

"Based on the credibility of these reports travel to these areas should be avoided.

"Residents should not be at those locations."

Mr Iemma's warning that the fight against the unrest will be long has left open the possibility of beach lockdowns over the Christmas weekend and new year period.

"This is not a fight that will be won in the short term."

One resident at Cronulla said, "What has happened is that a bunch of extreme racists have declared war on our society."

"John Howard must start giving the Muslim community a fair go so these extremist get the right idea that we're equal and we all have the right to be here."

Police were last night finalising the areas to be locked down.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Goodwin will command the operation. He said officers had a "very mobile strike capability and a very good ability to move resources around".

Mr Goodwin said police had received reports rioters were planning to use weapons this weekend.

"We have thousands of intelligence reports coming to us, some of those include firearms. Mostly it includes baseball bats and sticks to have it out on the beach," he said.

This weekend's police deployment of 2000 out of the 14,745 serving NSW officers is the biggest police operation since the Olympics.

"There is a very clear message. The beaches of NSW are a fan-tastic place to be and they are the property of every citizen in this country," Mr Goodwinsaid yesterday.

"This is simply to keep those communities (near the beaches) safe," he said.

Mr Moroney defended the extraordinary lockdown, saying it was his duty "to be honest with the people of NSW" and to keep people informed about the risks they faced on the state's coast.