A social media fight club has a South Australian community living in fear.
Teenagers are being encouraged to stage violent attacks and upload them online, with several involving ambushes on innocent people.
In one video, a teenage girl attacks an innocent shopper, repeatedly punching and kicking her to the floor.
The unprovoked attack played out in front of several onlookers, including children.
Jessica Burk suffered cuts, bruises and memory loss but it is the mental trauma that is taking the greatest toll.
“I can’t go down to the shop at Woolies, Coles or Big W,” Burk said.
“I need someone with me because I’m too scared because those attackers will be after me and I know they will.”
The same attacker appears to feature in similar videos uploaded to social media.
It is all part of what appears to be a trend of social media fight clubs playing out in Port Augusta.
9News is aware of at least two accounts encouraging the videos.
Burk is shocked it appears to be a big joke.
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“I can’t walk down the street because people are laughing,” she said.
“I think it’s a joke for the kids.”
South Australian Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said those perpetrating the violence and filming it could be charged.
“It is an offence to insight an offence, so if people are actively engaging in an activity that encourages other people to commit a crime then they can be held accountable for that,” Stevens said.
However, Port Augusta residents said they are not seeing any accountability at all, claiming teenagers are released on bail after being charged.
“These days it’s just a slap on the wrist and send you on your way,” Burk’s partner said.
“So the system has just gone backwards.”
Stevens said it is a “very complex” situation.
“It is made more complex when it involves young people committing offences,” he said.
It is not just the attackers and those filming the violence that could be charged, those creating the social media pages and uploading the videos could be held to account for inciting violence.
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