Sydney's Harris Park turning into a racial melting pot

Sydney, June 10 (ANI): Two people were arrested and more than 100 others were told to move on after an Indian community in Sydney's west held a protest against racial violence on Tuesday night.

Up to 150 Indian people from the community stormed the streets of Harris Park about 8 p.m. in protest against claims of years of racial slurs and attacks in the area.

Police were forced to close of an entire block of Harris Park around Marion and Wigram Streets.

The police action took place after young Indian men and some middle-eastern men clashed in the same area on Monday night.

They chanted "justice" as police told them to stay calm.

At one point officers told a large group to walk away and when they refused threatened to arrest them for not complying.

No one was injured and talks are to be held with police about the violence in the area.

The Daily Telegraph spoke to the protesters last night, many of whom said they would form their own vigilante-like groups to patrol the streets at night.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, local businesses have expressed fears that Harris Park - a "sister shopping area" to nearby Parramatta - could turn into a "ghost town" as a result of the unruly protests and street violence.ndian student tensions rise.

Moyes, a Christian Democrats MP, however, said he first became aware of violent street crime in Harris Park a number of years ago when, as head of Wesley Mission.

He found his workers were repeatedly robbed while helping people in the area.

"It was mainly street crime but it was street crime with threats, they were very aggressive. And there were concerns that police weren't around at the time when they were needed," Moyes was quoted, as saying.

Moyes said he did not believe the current attacks were motivated by traditional racism.

Moyes said the anger of young Indians mirrored concerns previously held by the elderly.

"I can understand the rage that has built up, and the way groups of them have decided to come together to protest," he said. (ANI)