MELBOURNE MAY BAN ASIAN NIGHTS

By Neville D'Cruz

MELBOURNE, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- Melbourne needs to consider whether to ban
Asian nights and other theme evenings at bars, says Lord Mayor Robert Doyle.

Doyle told the Herald Sun newspaper the future of such events needed to be
re-examined after several vicious confrontations linked to Asian nights this
year.

Some police hold significant concerns about the race-themed nights held
regularly at city venues.

Doyle's comments came after brawling early on Christmas Day in which gangs
of men were involved in two separate conflicts at an Asian night at the CQ Bar.

Police said about 20 people were involved in the fracas, during which men
used bollards to try to break through security staff at the venue, at the corner
of Queen and Little Collins streets.

"These (theme) nights can be a problem if they promote excessive drinking or
if they become a magnet for rival gangs, usually of young men prone to
violence," Doyle said.

"It's time we look at whether they've got a future. People in Melbourne
don't need an artificial excuse to come together and have fun."

In August, a group of men who had just walked from an Asian night almost
killed Queensland tourist Jeff Pooler in a frenzied attack.

He is still battling to recover from his injuries, the newspaper said.

One city policeman said he had never understood why, but race-based nights
were frequently the source of trouble.

"It doesn't matter what nationality, by and large it will often end in
tears," the officer said.
-- BERNAMA