Police Probing Altercation Outside Poof Doof Involving Greens Councillor

The Victoria Police are investigating an altercation and assault outside a gay night club in Melbourne, involving local Greens councillor Anab Mohamud, that left the councillor with serious injuries to the head and eyes.

“The investigation into the matter remains active and ongoing,” a Victoria police spokesperson told Star Observer.

Warning: The story has an image of graphic violence. 

Complicating the probe is the fact that police reportedly have two sets of witness statements about what happened that night. 

What is undisputed is that on April 11, Greens councillor Mohamud, who was elected to the Yarra City Council in October 2020, and a male companion, were walking down Bray Street around 3.40 am.

According to a report published in The Age, they stopped outside a caged smoking area at the rear of Chasers night club in South Yarra , which hosts the gay dance party Poof Doof. 

Cr Mohamud stopped outside the caged area and had an interaction with another person inside the premises. The interaction ended with the councillor in hospital, nursing serious injuries. 

Version One

According to The Age report, Cr Mohamud reached through the bars of the caged area and grabbed a transwoman by the hair. A manager at Poof Doof, who was not identified on request, claimed that the councillor was screaming “Fuck you, I’m going to get you.”

The patron then opened the gate and pursued Cr Mohamud on Bray Street where the altercation occurred. 

As per The Age report, a guard and the manager in their statement to the police claimed that the councillor made homophobic and transphobic comments and also uttered religious slogans. 

The report quoted the guard’s statement to the police where he claimed that the councillor said:  ‘I swear to Allah if I lose my eye I will make sure all these f*%%$#s die”.

Star Observer reached out to Poof Doof for a statement on the incident and will update the story when they respond. 

Version Two

The Greens party said that it was Cr Mohamud who was the victim and suffered serious injuries after being “violently assaulted”. 

The police are believed to have a new statement from a witness who has denied the councillor made transphobic or homophobic comments and a different version about who started the fight. 

“Our understanding is that the version of events reported in the media has been contradicted by subsequent police witness statements. These contradictory witness statements are yet to be resolved by police and we therefore remain uncertain about the reliability of what has been reported,” Victorian Greens Co-Convenors said in a statement to Star Observer. 

According to the statement, Cr Mohamud “was violently assaulted in South Yarra. She sustained serious facial injuries, including eye damage and significant blood loss, that left her hospitalised for some days.”

The statement said that triple zero was called, “but due to delays in an ambulance arriving and the seriousness of her injuries she was transported to hospital in a private vehicle.” 

“Cr Mohamud has reported the assault to the police and has taken a leave of absence from her duties as Councillor while she recovers.”

 The party added that it did not condone violence and would call out bigotry whether it was against LGBTQIA+ persons or against people of colour. 

“The Victorian Greens would like to emphasise that we do not condone violence or abuse in any form and condemn this vicious assault on a woman of colour.”

 “In the aftermath of this event, the Victorian Greens want to assure all LGBTIQA+ Australians that we are with you, and will always fight discrimination, bigotry and abuse in all its forms. The Victorian Greens also stand with all people of colour, and oppose attempts by some to pit two marginalised communities against one another,” the statement said. 

 “Our focus at this time is to ensure that Cr Mohamud is supported through her recovery from this horrific assault and through the ongoing investigation,” the party added. 

 

If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.

For 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14

For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.