THE end of year typically signals partying for many young people, but for the mother of a young man killed by a one-punch attack in Rye, holiday celebrations are also a chilling reminder of the dangers of aggressive, alcohol and social violence.
Caterina Politi’s 22-year-old son David Cassai was attacked in an unprovoked street fight in 2012, while out enjoying himself with friends on 20 December.
The apprentice landscape gardener fell and hit his head after being punched by 18-year-old Dylan Closter, from Launching Place, who then danced over him as he lay helpless, like a boxer in a show of defiance in front of his friends.
As Closter’s group fled the scene, witnesses heard laughing and someone yelling out “that’s what we come here for”.
Closter was later jailed for a minimum of six years, but for Cassai’s family the grief is ongoing.
Around this time every year, as thousands of young people celebrate on the peninsula with friends, they reflect on the senseless loss of a young man at the start of his adult journey and with a promising future.
Politi said the night her son was killed was supposed to be about friends enjoying themselves on a summer’s night near the beach but, in the space of less than a minute, one man was dead, and five others were injured.
“My son and his friends had just gone out to celebrate a birthday and they just wanted to get home. They were ambushed and they had no chance,” she said.
In bid to deal with their grief positively and to stop street violence they started SOPCK (Stop. One Punch Can Kill) and have spent the past decade calling for change and raising awareness.
Politi said she was proud that SOPCK was part of Schoolies on the Mornington Peninsula this year and hoped the message would be heard loud and clear by everyone partying on the peninsula.
“As teenagers head out this week, we want to make sure they understand that all it takes is one stupid decision to destroy lives,” she said.
“The ever-important message to make the right choices and look out for your mates. Violence is never acceptable. People must stop and think, keep their fists down and walk away.”
Politi said schoolies’ revellers on the peninsula had the right to party safe, stay safe and get home safe.
SOPCK teamed with the Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Steve Holland and its youth services team last week to launch Schoolies in Rye, with support from the Red Frog volunteers and spread the SOPCK message.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 29 November 2022
