A violent attack on a Chinese couple in Sydney has sparked outrage, with nearly 30,000 people signing a petition urging the New South Wales government to reform youth criminal justice. The man, 42, and woman, 40, both from China, were allegedly assaulted in Eastgardens on 22 May by seven children aged between 12 and 16, leaving the woman with extensive bruising, fractured fingers and impaired vision.
Six of the group have been charged with assault and released on conditional bail, due to appear in children's court in June. The petition calls for lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 10 for serious violent crimes and for denying bail to repeat violent youth offenders. The age of responsibility is already 10 in NSW.
Speaking in NSW parliament, Chinese Australian MP Jason Yat-Sen Li said 'racism doesn't need to be proven in court to be real in people's lives' and argued for tackling root causes of youth crime such as poverty and trauma. The attack has prompted the Chinese-speaking community to share experiences and advice on self-defence online, with some posting images of potential weapons.
Erin Chew, co-founder of the Asian Australian Alliance, noted that personal safety is a key concern and that Asians are often perceived as vulnerable targets. The alliance warned that racism is rising after a dip since the pandemic, with abuse shifting to accusations of being spies or telling people to 'go back to China'.
NSW police have cautioned against vigilante behaviour, stating it 'is a risk to all involved'. Meanwhile, some residents have set up mutual defence groups, such as in Chatswood, to respond quickly to incidents. In a separate case in Melbourne, a 25-year-old man was allegedly attacked by a teenager with a machete, leading to an arrest.
