Police swarm on meet

Car buffs upset but cry ‘we’re no hoons'

A GROUP of Gold Coast car enthusiasts feel like they are being unfairly branded as reckless hoons after a large club meet was targeted by a swarm of police officers.

Flawless Society founder Ethan Brooke said members were warned by the club to be on their best behaviour before the event at Homeworld Helensvale retail centre on Saturday night, which attracted hundreds of vehicles.

But Gold Coast District Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles said car parks were public spaces and there were “clearly impacts when hundreds of vehicles descend on them”.

Supt Knowles said one caller reported traffic congestion from the event and a second reported “vehicles hooning and conducting burnouts in the area”.

However, he confirmed “no arrests” were made at the Hope Island Rd shopping complex after the two calls about 7pm.

He said several owners were spoken to about defective vehicles, but infringement notices were not issued due to “police using discretion”.

Mr Brooke was adamant drivers were not hooning and he was “quite annoyed” by the Queensland Police response to the event.

“It’s funny how they can say all of this now, but on the night it was a completely different story. On top of that clearly who ever reported it obviously doesn’t like car enthusiasts because I can 110 per cent confirm there was no hooning or burnouts,” he said.

“There was no poor driver behaviour, everyone was there as car enthusiasts. We have set rules that they abide by … those that don’t follow the rules, they get reported to the police.

“We have never approved of hooning, but it seems like no matter how much you abide the laws it’s never good enough in the police eyes.

“It felt like the police were there to stir the pot more than anything and had a total overkill of resources on the scene.”

Mr Brooke said he was initially told “no one had called them (police), as that was my first question” and that the event presented a “safety hazard”. He estimated more than a dozen police vehicles showed up to the meet, which was held in partnership with a local kebab shop, blocking entry to the complex.

“We host our meets to support local businesses to create a safe place for car enthusiasts and supply entertainment to the families that come along,” Mr Brooke said.

He said he approached police and declared “we are car enthusiasts, not hoons” and “bad eggs” would be turned in to authorities – “and to that they gave me a surprised look but still proceeded to tell us to move away from them”.

Act Supt Knowles said police blocked the complex and remained on site until 9.15pm to “prevent further vehicles from entering and disrupt further traffic offences and inappropriate behaviours”.

“The Gold Coast community has been reporting and raising concerns with police regarding hooning behaviours by motoring enthusiasts and groups attending the Gold Coast,” he said.

“Police will continue to act on complaints and concerns from neighbouring and nearby residents.

“Gold Coast police are working hard to address these concerning behaviours when they are reported, by working to prevent and disrupt these behaviours early,” Supt Knowles said.

There was no poor driver behaviour, everyone was there as car enthusiasts. FLAWLESS SOCIETY FOUNDER ETHAN BROOKE