A WOMAN who last week publicly opposed a skate park plan for Fremantle’s Esplanade park had her home pelted with rocks and paint shortly afterwards.
On Tuesday the mother-of-two attended the fiery FICRA meeting opposed to the skate park and left her details on an attendance sheet. The next night she attended and spoke at the council meeting that approved the skate park. At 11pm that night the attack occurred.
The woman say she’d felt terrorised and singled out. The bold vandals had walked up her driveway to pour paint on her garage door. “I didn’t go outside, which the police said was wise,” she says. “Though I have no evidence it was someone from the meeting, the police told me it was too much of a coincidence and more than likely.”
Snr Sgt Dave Eton from Fremantle Police is looking into the incident, but says he hasn’t noticed any appreciable rise in anti-social behaviour recently.
Heritage advocate John Dowson says he’s hearing stories about anti-social behaviour emerging as a result of the debate over the $1.2 million park.
“People are nervous about skaters with cans of drink thrown at one business and two people knocked down by skaters in the CBD. This is a real issue.”
Herald reporter David Bell was assaulted by a man who hit him in the head with a skateboard two weeks ago after he’d intervened in a dispute between a shop owner and two young men (Herald, April 20, 2013).
Mayor Brad Pettitt says he’s not aware of any surge in anti-social behaviour.
“Obviously if the behaviour is as you describe then it is unacceptable, but I certainly don’t consider this to be representative of the large number of young people who will use the youth plaza,” Dr Pettitt says.
“The youth plaza is designed for a wide range of youth including skateboarders, roller-skaters, scooter and BMX and I don’t accept the idea that skaters are over-represented in the anti-social behaviour incidents.”
Dr Pettitt told the Herald this week the 10 per cent of Esplanade turf to be covered by the concrete will be offset elsewhere in the city.
by CARMELO AMALFI
I would like to set the record straight in regards to above story. I (being the person whose house was hit ) attended the public FICRA meeting only and NOT the Council meeting.
Thanks.