Christmas hoons force park limits

Jessica Benton
POLICE have accused hoons of spoiling Christmas for other families at Geelong’s Eastern Park.
Senior Sergeant Adrian Benne said Geelong officers and council would limit access and staff barricades at the park on Christmas day because of previous “unruly behaviour”.
“For a number of years there has been a large number of Macedonian people from all over Victoria who used the park on Christmas Day,” he said.
“Because of this we’ve had quite a few traffic control and behaviour issues. A lot of the young guys would part take in inappropriate hoon driving along the parade in the afternoon, which caused safety issues for everyone using the area.”
Snr Sgt Benne said police and council had restricted access to roads in the park for the past few Christmas days.
“The plan has been working well and it’s getting better every year with more experience,” he said.
Geelong Macedonian community spokesperson Zoran Dimovski confirmed incidents of “hoon” behaviour in the past.
But he said the recent police presence had cleaned up Christmas in the park.
“The police presence has been a real deterrent,” he said.
“The numbers have really dwindled now and people aren’t bothering to come anymore.
“The police presence was necessary but effective.”
City Hall’s Dean Frost said the park plan was in response to “traffic, parking and public safety issues”.