WAYWARD schoolies may have let the heat go to their heads during rowdy gatherings on the foreshore near Rye pier on several nights last week.
Sergeant Dean Matthews, of Rosebud police, said “three or four” young men had been arrested for lighting flares, minor assaults, assaulting police, resisting arrest and bringing alcohol to the foreshore. He said they may be summonsed to appear at Dromana Magistrates’ Court at a later date.
Sergeant Matthews said the rowdy behaviour of between 600 and 1000 youngsters prompted police to call for back-up from Frankston and Mornington.
In one instance youths were capsicum sprayed when they “crowded in” on police in a show of defiance.
Those who refused to drop their flares were arrested and those who would not back away were sprayed, resulting in “half a dozen” youngsters being asked to produce their IDs and copping $634 on-the-spot disorderly conduct tickets.
A 22-year-old burned his hand when lighting a flare at Rye, 12.30am, Wednesday 29 November. He was among up to 1000 revellers – many of them drunk – gathered on the foreshore to party.
Three flares were set off and the Clayton man received superficial burns. He was treated by ambulance officers at the scene.
Sergeant Matthews said he was “a little bit disappointed, especially with the older kids flouting local laws, such as lighting flares, drinking alcohol on the foreshore and causing street damage”.
“I am happy to have the schoolies here, but some of them get extra rowdy when alcohol is involved and they are making it dangerous for the younger kids who are trying to enjoy themselves,” he said.
Police were hoping forecast heavy rains over the weekend would calm down the revelry and, ironically, to “put a dampener on things”, Sergeant Matthews said.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 5 December 2017
