African-Australians share photos of themselves and their families to rebut claims being made by Liberal politicians

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

African-Australians responded to the assertion by Liberal politicians that Melbourne is in the grip of an “African gang crisis” by sharing photos of their work, educational achievements and families on social media.

Marked with the hashtag #AfricanGangs, the photos showcase university graduates, public servants, doctors and community advocates.

The African Gang (@MakMayek) Another day another contribution from the gangs' struggle street. G'day #AfricanGangs. pic.twitter.com/G4kKCsyyYv

Akolde Mayom (@DeMayom) Another great addition to the growing number of #AfricanGangs pic.twitter.com/ll2TA0PDmU

The tag sprang up in response to media reporting focused on youth crime allegedly committed by children of African descent in Melbourne’s western and south-eastern suburbs.

UnWilling #AfricanGangs Member (@DhaaljMK) Look at these members of #AfricanGangs up to no good, although I am not so sure about what is African about the two on either side. They were born in Australia! Oh wait, their skin colour. pic.twitter.com/8kXZTVpO7A

One shared a photo of a university graduate posing with former high court judge Michael Kirby, with the caption “Hon Michael Kirby ain’t afraid to take a photo with #AfricanGangs.”

Wolski Door (@DoorWol) #Hon Michael Kirby ain’t afraid to take a photo with #AfricanGangs ✌🏿 pic.twitter.com/yowZARkpna

The movement echoed the #IndigenousDads campaign, in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people shared photos of themselves with their fathers, father-figures and children in response to a cartoon by the late Bill Leak depicting an Aboriginal man who did not know his son’s name.

'We’re not a gang': the unfair stereotyping of African-Australians Read more

The perceived increase in crime committed by African-Australians, particularly Sudanese-Australians, has been seized by the opposition in Victoria as part of its campaign for the November state election and was picked up by the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and immigration minister, Peter Dutton, last week.

Dutton told Sydney radio that people in Victoria were “scared to go out to restaurants of a night time because they’re followed home by these gangs, home invasion and cars are stolen.”

The #AfricanGangs Matriach (@TashaBelle) #AfricanGangs in Melbourne took over the restaurant, everyone else hiding under the tables. pic.twitter.com/HczRHQ4Bro

Ash (@Ashliieed) #AfricanGangs These "youths" are out of control pic.twitter.com/DoPg3vqymk

The African Gang (@MakMayek) Ooops! This is probably a doctored paper #AfricanGangs pic.twitter.com/aqJw4qxCPg

Victoria's 'gang crisis' and how the election creates a double standard on crime Read more

He defended his comments on radio in Cairns on Tuesday, citing polling by Fairfax Media that showed concern about crime and a perception that crime was committed by people of African background in two outer-suburban Melbourne seats.

“There was some polling released in Victoria only in the last couple of days which clearly indicated that, and yet if you make a statement of the obvious like that you seem to be chastised and attacked in some parts of the media, and social media in particular,” Dutton said.

Political commentators have accused the Melbourne media of promoting the issue through selective reporting of crime, in which offences allegedly committed by people of African appearance were described as the work of “gangs” while similar offences committed by white teenagers were not.

According to Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency, people born in Sudan were responsible for about 1.5% of all crime in Victoria in 2016. At a federal parliamentary inquiry last year, chief statistician Fiona Dowsley qualified that figure:

Is Melbourne in the grip of African crime gangs? The facts behind the lurid headlines Read more

“To clarify, these are people who have been linked to a particular incident of offending or more incidents of offending in the reference period,” she said. “They have not been through a court process, they have not been found guilty of anything, and they may not even have been charged.”

Adhieu Cagai (@CagaiAdhieu) My Mini #AfricanGang taking care of her business. Scared the hell out of shoppers today. #AfricanGangs@TashaBelle @susanamet @IamYier @PawuoiPrince pic.twitter.com/GegDCiU9NC

The Andrews government has also referred to crime by groups of young African-Australians as gang activity and has promised a tough response.

“We’re going to tackle these crimes where they occur,” the acting premier, James Merlino, told Fairfax Media on Tuesday. “We’re going to tackle these gangs where they occur and we’re going to throw the book at them.”