(Being a bubbly little member of the Fairfax family, The Vine has an editorial agreement with the other mastheads. In that, we can reprint stories that are featured in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, WA Today and, should we ever need to discuss a father of three's discovery of the Da Vinci Code burnt into his morning toast, The Brisbane Times.
The Age in Melbourne has been doggedly reporting on violent assaults in Melbourne for the last few years. Some would say, performing a civic duty. Others would say, ambulance chasing. Whatever your viewpoint, the newspaper's ongoing coverage of the alleged violent epidemic in Melbourne has unarguably been a catalyst in recent times for the 2am lockout fiasco, the general crackdown on licensing issues and the recent announcement that 24 hour takeaway bottle shops in the CBD would have their hours drastically reduced. Oh, and forcing Woolworths to stop their alcohol home delivery service after the paper organised for a 17 year old to buy booze from them. And yet zingers peppered throughout the generous coverage of Mick Gatto's newly released biography have been a constant for weeks now. Not to mention there being little follow-up discussion regarding the excellent proposal of late night trams nor the fact that the King St "funnelneck of filth" (you can use that, readers) into Crown Casino was the first to be exempt from the 2am lockout. And nor that in June this year Victoria was announced as the "safest state in the nation". Got it.
I want to reprint this Akon article for its relevance to our section. But I can't do so without drawing attention to the editorial turn it takes. I'm not saying that violence isn't one of many issues facing nocturnal activities in Melbourne. I am saying that as a weekly late night user of the city for over a decade, it's disappointing to see the readership's focus being so sensationally pulled, and by so few - soapbox Ed.)
American rapper Akon was forced to jump into the crowd at his Melbourne concert last night to stop violent fans from brawling after the gig descended into chaos.
Footage posted on YouTube shows the star making his way through the noisy crowd to security guards where he urged fans to "calm down".
Four men, aged between 18 and 54, were taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital after being assaulted during the gig at the HiSense arena.
Akon told the rowdy crowd he would not let anyone 'fuck up' his Australian tour.
A Victoria Ambulance spokesman said the men had suffered cuts, bruising and swelling.
Outside the arena, two security guards were attacked as up to 50 men tried to gain entry about 9pm. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said one of the guards was king-hit and knocked unconscious while the other suffered a deep cut under his ear and bruising to his ribs when the pair tried to fend off the violent mob. The spokeswoman said the group fled when police arrived but one male was arrested for assault.
A Victoria Ambulance spokesman said six ambulance crews had attended the event and also treated a 21-year-old woman for vomiting and a 25-year-old man who suffered a fractured ankle after trying to jump a fence.
Akon was performing when fighting broke out in the audience and outside the venue. He told the audience it had taken him two years to play in Australia and he was not going to let anyone "fuck up" the gig.
The police spokeswoman said six people had reported being assaulted and she believed up to 18 had been injured. Angry crowd members, who paid $125 to see Akon and fellow rapper T-Pain, have said they feared for their safety as security staff became outnumbered by the battling fans.
One audience member said the venue had to be locked down at the end of the show and he had to plead with security staff to let his 18-year-old brother, who was in a wheelchair, leave. 'Daniel' described the security as "ridiculous" and said up to 60 people had been fighting.
"A couple of fights had broken out and younger kids (who were) drinking, over age but 18-19, ... and can't handle it and they've got into a few scuffles," he told Radio 3AW. Carol said her 17-year-old daughter was traumatised by seeing audience members punch each other in the head. "If you are paying that sort of money you expect to at least have security there to control the situation," she said.
"The people who were brawling were allowed to stay in there and they just kept brawling time and time again."
Sixteen-year-old Eden said her two cousins had been beaten during the concert and her mother Maria said she was "just disgusted" at the lack of security. "All of a sudden out of nowhere these people just ran on from every angle, the floor was cleared and there was just bashings, like punch-ons everywhere, and Akon just ended up getting off the stage," Eden told Radio 3AW.
The Age was awaiting comment from Hisense and the concert's promoters - Video Hits, Fox 8, Urban Agent and Entourage Management - at the time of publication. Akon has sold seven million albums and was promoted as the "undisputed global hip-hop-pop superstar".
His hits include songs titled 'Sexy Bitch', 'Smack That' and 'Dangerous'.
It is not the first time his concerts have attracted crowd trouble.
In 2007, he jumped from a stage in Adelaide to intervene in a fight. And last year, he pleaded guilty to harassment after admitting to tossing a 15-year-old fan from a stage during a New York concert in June 2007.
Akon is due to play in Sydney tonight.
Mex Cooper