Lending violence a hand
NRL players are unwittingly being used by street gangs to promote violence when they make rap symbols during interviews or after scoring tries.
A tribal war is being fought in many parts of Sydney and rap, or “drill”, music promotes the violence.
Footballers including Josh Addo-Carr, Jack Wighton and Brian To’o have all mimicked certain gestures or been photographed with rap bands, with images posted on social media without their knowledge.
Over the past few years a running war between Pacific Islander gangs has resulted in stabbings, brawls and even deaths, with rap music glorifying or fuelling the tension between the different groups.
Some of the players’ gestures, which are totally innocent, are being misinterpreted by gang members as endorsements of their groups.
When Addo-Carr made a symbol during an interview last year a social media account for “drill” rapper Hooligan Hefs reposted the vision with the caption “LETS FKN TROT !! congrats brother”.
“I was born in Doonside and that is just to remind myself where I came from and has nothing to do with being gangs,’’ Addo-Carr said.
“I’m proud of where I come from but want to make it clear that no one should get involved in gangs.”
Hooligan Hefs is from the Mount Druitt area and his songs promote violence, gang culture and guns.
Canberra and State of Origin star Wighton was photo
graphed with Hooligan Hefs at the recent fight between Paul Gallen and Mark Hunt at Bankwest Stadium. But Wighton reportedly posed for photos with many in the crowd.
“He probably got photographed 200 times with all sorts of people,’’ one source said. The photo was then posted on social media without Wighton’s knowledge.
Likewise, the band OneFour used footage of Penrith’s To’o doing a ‘’shimmy’’ movement with his chest after scoring in last year’s semi-final.
A OneFour fan put the footage to music by the band notorious for gang violence in Sydney’s west without To’o, Penrith or his management knowing.
Police said “the display of hand symbols by high-profile people is by no means new, but it does raise our concerns … this type of behaviour could easily cause issues amongst spectators”.
NRL boss Andrew Abdo said the league was in constant contact with police about who players are associating with.
“Our players are role models, particularly to young people in the community, and we take our role to educate our players of that responsibility very seriously,” he said.