‘An ugly day for you:’ Cops’ stern warning to GF revellersBrianna Travers and Aneeka Simonis,
Herald Sun
25 September 2019Richmond traders and residents are bracing for a massive street party around the MCG and Swan Street on Saturday which will see key roads shut down, trams diverted and traffic brought to a standstill.
Huge crowds spilling out from the Tigers-Giants blockbuster will force the shutdown of both Swan St and Stewart St.
Hundreds of police will swarm the MCG, Richmond and the CBD on game day into the early hours of the morning to stamp out drug and alcohol-fuelled violence.
In 2017 when the Tigers broke their 37-year premiership drought, thousands of fans swarmed Swan St, turning the busy bar and restaurant strip into a rowdy street party.
Daniel Vid who co-owns the Ugly Duckling cocktail bar said Swan St traders were buzzing with excitement.
“The Tiger-nomics are wonderful, we experience high levels of trade during the footy finals,” he said.
“We are big supporters of the Tigers, when they win, we win.”
Nelson Davie manages the Richmond Social pub and said he was “extremely pumped” for a “very huge weekend”.
“The atmosphere down here should be pumping,” he said.
“Come down and have a beer, it is the Richmond thing to do. It will be way more electric if the Tiges beat GWS. Richmond is number one.”
The heavy police presence at the Grand Final itself will aim to prevent any repeat of this year’s footy-fan violence, seen again at last weekend’s Pies-Giants preliminary final.
It also comes after a string of footy fan violence this year, the most recent from the Pies-Giants preliminary final where a wild altercation was allegedly sparked by a man who threw a drink at security.
Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton warned there would be “no tolerance” for anti-social behaviour.
“If you come to the MCG and engage in criminal activity or place anyone’s safety at risk, you will be arrested and charged and evicted,” he said.
“It will be an ugly day for you.”
The raucous celebrations saw fans jumping on cars and scaling shop roofs, forcing police to use capsicum spray to quell the crowd.
Mr Patton said extensive planning had been undertaken to ensure police were “better prepared” than 2017 and the full force of the law would come down on unruly fans.
“We are ready for any challenge we may be confronted with,” he said.
“We will stop this behaviour before it escalates and take whatever action necessary to make people accountable so this is a safe environment for everybody.”
Specialist police from the Operations Response Unit and the mounted branch will join with hundreds of uniformed and plain clothes police patrolling the area.
Police have the power to issue on-the-spot fines to patrons drinking alcohol on the street.
“We are not the fun police,” said Mr Patton.
“If we see people drinking with open containers of alcohol we will ask them to tip it out or seal it and if they refuse we will be giving them $100 fines.
“We will make them stop drinking.”
Swan St between Punt Road and Church St will be closed from 4.30pm on Saturday until police deem it safe to re-open.
Nearby Stewart St, which runs next to the rail line between the Corner Hotel and the Punt Rd-Brunton Ave junction, will also be shut between 4am on Saturday and 7am on Sunday.
Swan St will also become a clearway from 6am on Saturday and the Route 70 tram will be diverted along Bridge Road.
Transit police and Protective Service Officers will pack into trams, trams and transport hubs to keep fans in line.
Yarra Councillor Stephen Jolly said authorities had “learnt their lesson” from the chaos which unfolded in 2017.
“They stuffed it two years ago but hopefully it works this time,” he said.
“The locals are pretty stoked there is a plan. If Richmond lose there will be a lot of sore heads and disappointment.”
The council has draped the Richmond Town Hall with two Tigers flags.
The AFL can’t lose regardless of Saturday’s result.
If Richmond wins it will spark wild celebrations among the leagues’ biggest membership base.
If the Giants win, the league’s bold move to take the game to Sydney’s west will pay dividends.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan, speaking at Carbine Club lunch, refused to be drawn on who he would cheer for on Saturday.
“It’s going to be, like everything sold out,” McLachlan said.
“I reckon it’s two great teams.
“I just want a close game.”
The Corner Hotel is expecting a “really big day” of business, opening from 9am.
“We are battening down the hatches in a good way, it is a really good, fun vibe,” venue manager Lara Whalley said.
“We’re licenced until 3am, it could be a late one. We are running a Sunday recovery session from midday with Bloody Mary specials.
“Richmond is a pretty exciting place to be on Grand Final day.”
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmonds-swan-st-to-close-for-grand-final-celebrations/news-story/0e1d12834f7d565aaaede635cd4c0f4e
