Massive brawl breaks out between rival gangs at Oz shopping centre

Melbourne, Feb 4 (ANI): A massive brawl, which had been sparked by a war of words on Facebook, broke out between rival groups at a Sydney shopping centre.

According to the police, who had been monitoring Facebook and other social networking sites days before the clash, two rival islander groups clashed at Westfield Mall in Carlisle Avenue, Mt Druitt.

Up to 100 teenagers and young men descended on the Westfield shopping centre in Mt Druitt in a pre-organised fight, and youths were seen punching and kicking each other as horrified shoppers looked on.

Around 65 police from the dog squad, the riot squad and other specialist officers had to intervene, and thirteen of the males, aged 16 to 22, were charged with offences including affray, assaulting police and resisting arrest.

Acting assistant commissioner Wayne Cox of the North West Regional Command said the two groups were of Pacific Islander background, with one originating from the Mt Druitt area and the other from around Granville.

He said members of the public and monitored Facebook and other social networking sites had tipped off police.

"Those particular sites are not for violence or to bring out mob mentality. And they should be used for social networking, as they are designed for," the Herald Sun quoted Cox as saying.

Mt Druitt Inspector Grant Bissett admitted there are problems with different groups of Pacific Islander youths in the area and said they had been tipped off a fight would occur last night.

The organised fight was the result of simmering tensions between the two groups in recent days. (ANI)