Curio

State Library of New South Wales
Cronulla riot photographs, 2005

Cronulla riot photographs, 2005

30 colour digital photographs

11.50–12.44pm, 11 December 2005

a2284 Online

“I knew it was going to be a large gathering of people because of all the texts flying around that morning” Naras Lapsys

These images depict two alternate views of Cronulla Beach on a day remembered for racism and mob violence.  Showing seemingly innocent ‘aussies’ written into the sand and police trying to contain a crowd where later alcohol fuelled violence erupted against a young man of Arab appearance. 


270,000 texts were sent the morning of the riot


‘On the same wave program’ is running in South Australia and Northern Territory but no longer at Cronulla. 


A well know broadcaster was found to have breached the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Code of Practice in their reporting of the incident in 2005. 


Naras, the photographer, was a surf lifesaver and dressed casually to be accepted by the crowd with his camera.