PARENTS CALLED TO ACT ON TEEN MALL VIOLENCE

Police urge victims to come forward in latest rage spurred on by social media

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

POLICE are urging victims of the recent mall violence known as “Fight Night” to come forward. Police Oversight and Community Safety MEC Anroux Marais, ward councillors and crime activists are calling on parents to intervene.

Management at Canal Walk told the Cape Argus they had to call police to bring calm at the weekend, when a fight broke out between two girls at the shopping centre.

Videos of the fight went viral on social media, showing crowds of teenagers on school holiday cheering them on and others trying to stop it.

A poster advertising a “Meet and Greet” at Canal Walk was shared before the incident, with another poster inciting violence between two girls by sharing their photographs, labelling it a battle of the Facebook pictures, titling it “Fight Night”.

It is just one of several incidents in recent weeks to break out at local malls such as Canal Walk and the V&A Waterfront.

Just last week, another two girls fought at the V&A Waterfront, following which head of communication and PR, Donald Kau, said they would be taking action.