Members of a ‘girl gang’ accused of going on a violent rampage at Cockburn Gateway shopping centre last month claim the brawl began when a man “king hit” one of the girls in their group, and say they were later treated unfairly by security.

“I reckon they [security] handled it wrong,” one of the girls said.

“We got smashed on first, we had a brawl because someone started on our sister-girl.

“We’re kids and they’re full blown adults having fights with girls – it doesn’t matter, you can’t hit a girl.”