Australia: Revheads trash Bob Jane T-marts store in Victoria after race meet cancelled

[spookyturtle 9,465]

And I thought this didn't happen there.

Race meet cancelled earlier this week

Revheads seek revenge by trashing store

Police air wing called to help calm rioters

THE Bob Jane T-marts store owner says he was unfairly targeted by revheads who trashed his franchise business to protest the cancellation of a race meet.

Neville Smith was startled awake at 1am today when the alarm went off at his business in Melbourne's southeast and he was called down to see a riot unfold first-hand.

"They've just smashed everything to pieces," he said.

"They've pushed over all our displays and they've turned over a car and smashed the windows.

"They were using baseball bats and steel poles, just anything they could get their hands on."

He said the protesters caused about $15,000 in damage, smashing most of windows on his business and stealing several items.

"People are saying it's un-Australian. It's not normal to do something like this,'' he said.

The protest had started peacefully around 11pm on Friday but quickly grew in size until about 2000 people had gathered.

The commotion was prompted after the EasterNats race meet at Calder Park Raceway was cancelled earlier this week, and the crowds on Friday night decided to vent their anger on one of the sponsor's stores, on the corner of Princes Highway and Warrigal Road.

While Bob Jane T-marts has been a sponsor of the event, Mr Smith said his specific store had nothing to do with the cancelled race.

"It seems strange to me that you would punish me," he said. "I'm just a franchise holder."

The protest forced traffic on the Princes Highway in Oakleigh to come to a standstill for two hours.

Police say a dog squad and the air wing had to be called in to monitor the crowds after flares were set off.

As the angry fans trashed the store, breaking windows and stealing car parts from inside, witnesses and bystanders were forced to take shelter in their cars and nearby restaurants.

"Within 10 minutes there were hundreds of high-powered cars,'' one witness told the Herald Sun.

"It was like an organised protest and we were trapped in it."

A police spokeswoman said it's believed a smaller group from the larger crowd was responsible for damaging the tyre dealership.

It's unclear if anyone was injured in the protest or any arrests have been made at this time.

Forensic investigators will head to the scene today.

EasterNats promoter Jon Davison said Bob Jane had cancelled the event "as a result of our inability to finalise a satisfactory contract".

"There were a lot of people very annoyed about the event not proceeding, but I don't know who is behind this," he said.

"I am in no way supportive of any illegal activity. I am staggered this has happened."

http://www.news.com.au/national/revheads-trash-bob-jane-t-marts-store-in-oakleigh/story-e6frfkvr-1225843075273