FIVE associates of terrorist suspects gang-bashed a cameraman outside Melbourne Magistrates' Court yesterday. The gang rained kicks and punches on Channel 7 cameraman Matt Rose, dragged him by the hair and then smashed him with a chair. Chairs were thrown at other cameramen and into traffic on William St. A mother and her child sitting at outdoor tables where the attack happened were lucky to escape injury. One of the men raised a metal table and threatened to throw it at photographers. Mr Rose, 31, was left with a bloodied face and might need stitches to his right cheek, which was still bleeding hours later. Herald Sun photographers John Hart and Craig Borrow, who was punched in the jaw, were witnesses to the attack. The attackers had been sitting in court during a bail application for accused terrorists Hany Taha and Abdulla Merhi.
A scuffle broke out inside the court building minutes before the attack when the group came outside during the lunch break about 1.10pm. As the men walked down William St, a large media pack followed, but most had dropped off when the attack happened on the corner of Little Lonsdale St. Mr Rose said the men were demanding he stop filming when he was struck from behind. "I was by myself when one of them hit me over the back of the head and kept trying to punch me," Mr Rose said. "Then they all jumped in. I eventually went to ground and one of them hit me with a chair. I'm just doing my job."
Mr Rose said he would consider pressing charges. The Herald Sun's Borrow said the attack was unprovoked. "All of a sudden Matt was targeted because he was at the front. I saw Matt's TV camera go flying in the air and he went down. They went in with kicks and punches and tried to drag him along the ground. Then one of them came over, lined me up and hit me in the jaw."