GREATER DANDENONG LEADER

Nicholas Payne

AUSTRALIA’S leading civil and human rights organisation has condemned a violent racist attack in Chelsea on the weekend.

A 39-year-old Springvale man of Tibetan descent was strangled, punched and thrown into traffic in the attack on September 24.

The victim was waiting for a customer to finish using a Commonwealth Bank ATM on Nepean Highway when the man withdrawing cash turned around and said “you f**king Asian people”.

The victim confronted the man, who then grabbed him by the throat and punched him repeatedly in the chest.

The victim tried to take a photograph of the attacker using his mobile phone but the thug continued punching him and caused him to fall in front of traffic, where he narrowly avoided being run over.

A woman with the attacker then urged him to leave before the police arrived, and the pair fled.

The man is described as a thin caucasian male, aged 30-40, 180cm tall, with short brown hair, wearing a T-shirt.

Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich said there was no place in Australia for such “reprehensible hate-motivated violence and intolerance”.

“We decry this disgraceful and chilling outburst of prejudice in the strongest possible terms,” Dr Abramovich said.

“Australians of all faiths, nationalities, and ethnicities should feel secure walking our streets — without the fear or threat of being targeted for abuse and physical attacks because of their religion, appearance or background”.

Dr Abramovich called on people to “stand as one when the values of diversity and multiculturalism are undermined by such repugnant conduct”.

“Respect, inclusiveness and peaceful coexistence of all faiths in Australia are a key source of our strength as a nation,” he said.

“This sad incident is another timely wake up call that we have much work to do to in weeding out the roots of prejudice and discrimination.”

Anyone with information is being urged to contact the Kingston Crime Investigation Unit on 9556 6111.