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Sydney Police Deploy More Officers to Avert Australia Day Riots Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- An additional 1,200 police officers will patrol Sydney's streets on tomorrow's ``Australia Day'' holiday to avert a repeat of last month's race riots in the city's beachside suburbs. Officers will be deployed on city streets, beaches including Bondi and Manly, and last month's trouble spots of Cronulla, Maroubra and Lakemba to squash any violent behavior, police said in an e-mailed statement today. ``We will not hesitate to arrest anyone who attempts to disrupt celebrations on our national day,'' said Mark Goodwin, assistant commissioner of the New South Wales police force. Australian legislators in December passed laws allowing officers to impose alcohol-free zones, confiscate vehicles and search people. The new laws came after two days of racial clashes that involved thousands of rioters and injured at least seven people. Police have charged 971 people with 1,754 offenses. Goodwin said police weren't aware of any plans for violent acts tomorrow. ``These events brought shame on all involved,'' Prime Minister John Howard said in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra today. ``Australians, whatever their background, deserve to be treated with tolerance and with respect.'' On Dec. 11 a gathering of more than 5,000 people protesting against assaults on surf life savers turned into a riot that fueled attacks on youths of Middle-Eastern appearance. The following day, youths assaulted residents and smashed shops and cars in the beachside suburbs of Cronulla and Maroubra in retaliation. To contact the reporter on this story: Miriam Steffens in Sydney at msteffens1@bloomberg.netLast Updated: January 25, 2006 01:17 EST | ||
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