ALBURY’S indigenous community has been sickened to hear of a racist teenage gang threatening violence against the city’s Aborigines.
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The group — one side of a bloody dispute with a group of mostly Koori youths — has been accused of operating under the initials KAC.
The Border Mail deems the name of the gang too offensive to print.
Sources close to the conflict told The Border Mail of the group’s existence in the wake of last Thursday’s brawls.
But a relative of the teenagers accused of starting the gang yesterday insisted there was no such thing as KAC.
Meanwhile, Wiradjuri elder Nancy Rooke, who was first told of the group a month ago, said it was one of the worst examples of racism in Albury she had heard of in the past 30 years.
Mrs Rooke said the city’s Aboriginal leaders were especially concerned by the violent confrontations in central and West Albury last week.
“We just can’t believe it’s gotten so out of hand,” she said.
“It’s very scary for both sides.
“I don’t know where it’s all coming from.
“It’s a big concern, and if it’s not nipped in the bud, I think we’re going to see a lot more violence.”
Mrs Rooke also called on the Aboriginal teens to rise above the temptation to fight.
“Wake up to yourselves — stand up and walk away from this thing,” she said.
“It will get nobody anywhere.”
Mrs Rooke said anyone using race to fuel violence should take stock of their actions.
“We can’t believe that these young people are saying such rot,” she said.
“Prick your finger and we’ll see what colour blood you have. Don’t we all bleed the same?”
Mrs Rooke called on everyone involved — on both sides of the dispute — to cool their heads.
“This is Wiradjuri land,” she said.
“How dare these people make a mess of it?
“We’ve got to live in this world, we’ve all got to get on.”