Liberal Party branch meeting descends into 'unprecedented' brawl at Arncliffe cafe
Updated
A New South Wales Liberal Party meeting has seen one man hospitalised after a brawl broke out at a café in Sydney's south.
A senior Liberal Party source said the clash was "unprecedented" and a "tragic internal shit fight brought about by the pettiness of politics".
Numerous people were seen running from Naji's Cafe on Firth Street in Arncliffe after police were called just before 7:00pm.
It is alleged an older woman was pushed to the ground during the incident, while a man in his 40s has been taken to St George Hospital for treatment to minor injuries.
The NSW Liberal Party issued a statement condemning the behaviour.
"The Party will fully cooperate with the police in relation to their enquiries. An internal investigation will also be undertaken and disciplinary action taken against those responsible," the statement said.
A senior liberal party source who did not want to be named said the fight was the result of an "internal power play".
"The worst thing that normally happens in Liberal Party pre-selections is someone flicks the toothpick that holds together the cucumber sandwich."
The source said the factional fight was for control of the Liberal Party body that selects Local Government councillors in the area.
One witness, who did not want to be identified, described the situation as an attempted "hostile takeover" of the branch.
"Just before the meeting started, there was an altercation where some people were intimidating and swearing and pushing and shoving of the others who belonged to the meeting," he said.
"Others outside were blocked from entering the meeting."
The man said an elderly lady inside the cafe was "trampled on", and a man who tried to intervene was "ganged up on".
"They started bashing him … they took him outside and started kicking him.
"To be honest I thought he was going to die."
The man also said some people tried to film the incident, but their phones were taken and smashed.
Police are yet to determine how many people were involved in the incident and are appealing for anyone with vision of the incident to come forward.
Topics: liberals, law-crime-and-justice, government-and-politics, police, assault, arncliffe-2205
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