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Weapons seized, two arrested after vigilante faceoff in Cairns street

Police and political leaders are urging people not to intervene in crime matters following alleged vigilantism.

May 20, 2024, updated May 20, 2024
Queensland Police have warned against vigilante behaviour after armed disturbances in Cairns/. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Queensland Police have warned against vigilante behaviour after armed disturbances in Cairns/. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Police were called to a disturbance in Holloways Beach near Cairns on Friday where officers seized weapons and arrested two people.

Four hours later police were back on the same suburban street following reports of people armed with weapons having hit several victims and a car before leaving the scene on foot.

Former Liberal National Party MP for Cairns Michael Trout said he was assaulted and left with facial injuries.

Police continue to patrol areas of Holloways Beach but have asked the community not to take matters into their own hands.

“To ensure community safety, police urge members of the public to not engage in methods of disrupting criminal activity or reprisal,” Detective Inspector Kevin Goan said.

A 15-year-old boy and a 47-year-old man have been charged with being armed to cause fear following the first incident on Friday.

Later in the evening police said a 23-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man received non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at the scene and a 31-year-old man was taken to Cairns Hospital for treatment.

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Queensland Premier Steven Miles said there was no place in the state for vigilantism because it brought significant risk to the community.

“The police will constantly say that if you need their assistance call them,” he told reporters on Monday.

“You don’t want to make their job even harder and that’s what they say happens when people try to take things into their own hands.”

Deputy leader of the opposition Jarrod Bleijie said “whether it’s Michael Trout or any other Queenslander right across Queensland, we’re seeing an escalation of violence on our streets”.

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