19 January 2009

Skateboarding on memorials - Crime or caper?

| bigfeet
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Ninemsn is reporting that a group of local youths have been filmed using the Anzac Memorial as a skateboard ramp.

Apparantly the footage has been handed to the AFP. Should these miscreants immediately be drafted and shipped to Iraq.

[ED – Or, if it’s a bigger deal than kids climbing on tanks, should someone have gone out and just told them to bugger off?]

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sunshine said :

oh for god’s sake – if the govt built better skate ramps etc the kids would use that…

No, they won’t.

A lot of you guys are missing the point – you could have a world class skate park in every suburb from Taylor to Banks and people would STILL want to skate on stuff that’s not meant to be skated, and most of them wouldn’t give too hoots about WHY it’s not meant to be skated. It is just part of the culture and it’s never going to change.

The ONLY solution is to build stuff that is not attractive to skaters. It’s quite simple and I’m amazed that urban planners and landscapers haven’t learnt this yet.

Thank you DMD for using the correct capitalisation of “ANZACS”. Dexi’s mentalpicture of them skating down the trenches …. mmm.

Deadmandrinking said :

Why not just change the way we remember the ANZACS? Instead of going on about how Gallipoli somehow secured our ‘freedom’, maybe we could use it as a lesson well learned and not send our boys headfirst into armed conflict just because the big empire of the day got themselves into a tiff

Obviously you have forgotten that you wrote the above….

I stand by it 100%.

Gallipoli had nothing to do with our freedom. I would probably have opposed supporting Britain in the war had I been alive then, since my heritage would have meant something more. I believe Australia should shun the british monarchy and become a republic.

We need to change the way we interpret what happened in order to make real progress.

Oh, but we do, we don’t have children aged 16-18 running away from home to join the “struggle against the oppressor overseas”, we don’t have a national guard that can be chucked into a conflict as a reserve, and we certainly don’t listen when england says “do this because you are a part of the commonwealth” The empire is dead. the monarchy is a figurehead only. We became a republic long ago, just not on paper.

we have a governor general, but she cannot “order” men and women of australia to fight. well, she can try, but we probably won’t listen to her.

Australia has grown up. The only hurdle we now have it to ensure that the ties with the US are for peaceful endeavours, not false action against the oppressors who have supposed Weapons of Mass Destruction.

the ages of the young men who went to war in WW1 should be a reminder to us that whole families were decimated, brothers dying together for a cause that they believed in, and the people back home believed in.

The “White Feathers” that were handed out were to shame men into going. after Vietnam, returned soldiers had buckets of blood thrown at them, they were spat upon, and hated by people who felt that they shouldn’t have gone. They were volunteers or conscripted. Both were treated equally badly, regardless of why they went.

I would like to think that if the Anzac’s had skateboards, they would have found somewhere to skate, on the ships or in the trenches, regardless of the toffs.

Deadmandrinking2:54 pm 20 Jan 09

Why not just change the way we remember the ANZACS? Instead of going on about how Gallipoli somehow secured our ‘freedom’, maybe we could use it as a lesson well learned and not send our boys headfirst into armed conflict just because the big empire of the day got themselves into a tiff

Obviously you have forgotten that you wrote the above….

I stand by it 100%.

Gallipoli had nothing to do with our freedom. I would probably have opposed supporting Britain in the war had I been alive then, since my heritage would have meant something more. I believe Australia should shun the british monarchy and become a republic.

We need to change the way we interpret what happened in order to make real progress.

War has never stopped. Only the nationality of the dead. It will repeat endlessly.

Deadmandrinking2:40 pm 20 Jan 09

You have no idea what this conversation is about.

Should we view sending young men to die as having been the right thing to do?

I don’t think it was. That is what I thought we were arguing over.

Revisionist history is already in place. Too many of us believe the ANZACS built our country and secured our freedom. The fact is they did not.

I am saying that we should respect the ANZACS for their sacrifice and acknowledge the horrors of WW1 as something that should never be repeated.

Empire was so important that Commonwealth nations supported a German king in his fight with a German Kaiser.

Deadmandrinking2:27 pm 20 Jan 09

Do I really need to go into the complex mish-mash that started WW1. It was a bunch of wanky arguments over land and resource where no-one was really in the right. Diplomacy didn’t stop it because people, in general, tend to be idiots.

The Japanese wouldn’t have had the leverage without Germany. Hitler would never have risen to power without the economic sanctions that plagued his country as a result of WW1.

And no, I don’t understand fighting for a british king or queen. I am a staunch anti-monarchist.

Do you honestly think it was right to send those young aussies who had no idea about what war was to be killed? Honestly?

Deadmandrinking2:13 pm 20 Jan 09

Your argument has simply fallen to pieces DMD.

Go back and read what you have written. Better still, go and study the history, it will answer all the questions you ask.

You could respectfully back out. Your points are ridiculous.

FACTS:

– Not ALL young men wanted to go to war. There was opposition.

– Many Australians had a very unrealistic idea of war before they were sent out.

– Hughes felt the need to introduce Conscription.

– Turkey did not have an agenda to invade Australia during WW1, nor did Germany.

– WW1 started for some pretty stupid reasons.

– WW2 had to happen, only because of WW1.

If I recall correctly, there was a large number who only went to war after receiving their White Feather.

Conscripts served in PNG because at the time it was Australian territory and not considered overseas service. And a lot of conscripts actually had earlier volunteered but had been knocked back for various reasons such as medical or employment that was considered vital to the war effort.

Deadmandrinking2:02 pm 20 Jan 09

Why did Hughes feel the need to introduce it?

And if young men wanted to go to war, is that a reason to do it? Do you think these young men had a realistic idea of what was going to happen before they got mowed down mercilessly so the British could get ashore in turkey?

WW2 was a necessary war. Only because of WW1 though.

Yes, there’s no point in discussing Vietnam because NOBODY was opposed to that war.

Deadmandrinking1:43 pm 20 Jan 09

DMD,

You mean rewrite history to suit the current day thinking rather than actually look at the real reasons countries went to war?

That’s one of the stupidiest things I’ve ever heard.

Believe it or not, young men wanted to go to war. I know you find that difficult to believe, but it is a fact. And of course, we were part of the empire. Again, a fact.

So why did they need conscription?

Not all young men wanted to go to war. In fact Daniel Mannix, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne was heavily opposed to the First World War and Conscription, as were many of his followers, mostly Catholics of Irish heritage. They didn’t want to go and fight what they saw as a British war.

Funny, the history seems to be a little bit conveniently written already.

A PommyBastard, go back to the 50’s, honestly. Many children develop different values to their parents. Also, punishment by itself never works. It just gives young people more reason to disrespect what you’re trying to shove into their heads.

Pommy bastard1:35 pm 20 Jan 09

John we are talking about a small section, a memorial, not “the whole world.”

PB: Ah, the Parents. They are solely to blame for their kids. Kids never rebel, it’s their parents who make them. Obviously.

Kids learn their values from their parents. Some rebel, in which case, society must act, and punishment for transgressing societies norms is the obvious recourse.

Deadmandrinking1:30 pm 20 Jan 09

PB: Ah, the Parents. They are solely to blame for their kids. Kids never rebel, it’s their parents who make them. Obviously.

The day I heard people at Cronulla bantering on about the ANZACS before charging out and beating up anyone with brown skin made me think that maybe we aren’t reaching the youth the way we should.

Actually the memorial in question is just about our relationship with New Zealand.

Ie Closely resembling a young adult and an neer do well teenage brother. Skate away I say.

Cordoning off the whole world into a sacred space where others must rigidly adhere to the prohibitions of a minority is exactly what generations of soldiers fought against and are still fighting.

Deadmandrinking1:25 pm 20 Jan 09

I think that’s a simplistic idea Thumper, to be honest.

Why not just change the way we remember the ANZACS? Instead of going on about how Gallipoli somehow secured our ‘freedom’, maybe we could use it as a lesson well learned and not send our boys headfirst into armed conflict just because the big empire of the day got themselves into a tiff.

So far we haven’t…

Pommy bastard1:25 pm 20 Jan 09

Deadmandrinking said :

But why do they have no respect for the memorial?

Parents have failed to instill any in them.

That’s the question I’m asking. These are kids in Australia. These are the ones we are handing down the legacy our history has forged. If we seem to be unable to do that, shouldn’t we be looking at the way we communicate our history?

Just so we suit it to a bunch of miscreants? No.

We pass on our history in a good and appropriate way, our schools are first class. We cannot and should not change this to suit those who have no values instilled in them by their parents.

Sanctions are needed for those who commit acts of vandalism.

damn. thumper thought the same thing…

Deadmandrinking said :

Sorry to double-post, but Pommy, in between posting articles you’ve half read, have you read the comments that stray was making about the skate-park not being on everyone’s skill-level. Also, there tends to be a culture of who can be the best around skate-parks, not a helpful learning environments. There’s gotta be other places for them to skate as well.

And why not near the memorial? Don’t you want these kids to get educated on why alot of our people getting killed for no good reason (we were under no threat in WW1, Korea, Vietnam or anything now) somehow secured our freedom and that we should not think about maybe just being thankful for their sacrifice, being sorry for conscription and remembering not to do anything so stupid to any future generation? They’re not going to go their by their own volition.

It makes me angry to hear of these kids treating the war memorial with disrespect, but as was pointed out by a skeg, he didn’t skate there out of respect for his grandfather. good for him.

maybe, what needs to be done is for the old vets to visit schools and talk to kids about what war actually is? not primary schoolers, but high schools and colleges, possibly universities as well?

drum into them the harsh realities of war. and what was sacrificed by so many 16-18 year old kids in WWI & WWII. some of these skateboarders may even be older that those who died defending the Australian way of life.

Deadmandrinking1:18 pm 20 Jan 09

But why do they have no respect for the memorial?

That’s the question I’m asking. These are kids in Australia. These are the ones we are handing down the legacy our history has forged. If we seem to be unable to do that, shouldn’t we be looking at the way we communicate our history?

Pommy bastard1:14 pm 20 Jan 09

Why the memorial?

Why?

It’s a M-E-M-O-R-I-A-L…..

There are people alive today whose husbands, brothers, sisters, and relatives deaths in service of this country are commemorated by it.

There are a multitude of other purpose constructed, or usable, places.

Why the memorial?

Skate parks are too hard? Oh diddums!!

They are not learning to respect a memorial by vandalising it with their little skaty tricks…

Deadmandrinking1:07 pm 20 Jan 09

Sorry to double-post, but Pommy, in between posting articles you’ve half read, have you read the comments that stray was making about the skate-park not being on everyone’s skill-level. Also, there tends to be a culture of who can be the best around skate-parks, not a helpful learning environments. There’s gotta be other places for them to skate as well.

And why not near the memorial? Don’t you want these kids to get educated on why alot of our people getting killed for no good reason (we were under no threat in WW1, Korea, Vietnam or anything now) somehow secured our freedom and that we should not think about maybe just being thankful for their sacrifice, being sorry for conscription and remembering not to do anything so stupid to any future generation? They’re not going to go their by their own volition.

Yeah guys have some respect.

There are a tonne of places around Canberra you can skate other than here.

It’s a bit like standing on someone’s grave.

BUT, I’m sure rather than making a big fuss about it someone could have gone down there and spoken to them about it. And I take the point that it’s okay for kids to climb around on stuff there.

Actually driving up Anzac parade I saw a guy walking his two dogs there and one may have peed on one of the memorials. Is that worse than skating?

Deadmandrinking1:00 pm 20 Jan 09

stray said :

Deadmandrinking said :

I always thought the problem with skate parks in canberra is they tend to get taken over by non-skaters who just want to cause trouble. That might have changed since, though. I haven’t been a kid for some years now…

lol..really DMD? At least in REAL age you are, just kidding…

Shh…don’t let them know my real age…they’ll send me back to primary school!

Anyway, I think 18 was the best age mentally, so I’m staying there.

Pommy bastard12:57 pm 20 Jan 09

sunshine said :

oh for god’s sake – if the govt built better skate ramps etc the kids would use that – i understand the signifigance of the memorials and the kids shouldn’t be using them however at least it’s better than mugging old ladies. hmm, maybe that happens AFTER the skateboarding.

The govt has built skate ramps, so there is no need for these vandals to use the memorial, full stop.

Belconnen Skate Park

Belconnen Skate Park is one of the best skate parks in Canberra and gains a five star rating on http://www.skateboard.com.au. The park has been the venue for several national and international competitions and was designed to provide long runs through the doughnut, snake run and street skating area. The street skating area is considered to be the best feature of the park while the large vertical bowl and ramp are challenging for even the most experienced skaters. The park is suitable for children and teenagers, as well as for more experienced skaters or board riders.

Cnr Emu Bank & Eastern Valley Way, 10 km north east of Canberra City Centre Belconnen 2616
13 22 81 | Website: http://www.parksandplaces.act.gov.au
Tuggeranong Skate Park

Gaining a five star rating from http://www.skateboard.com.au, Tuggeranong Skate Park is one of the best skate park facilities in Canberra. The park provides a range of opportunities for BMX riders, skateboarders and inline skaters. The park has sections for both beginners and experienced skaters with asmall snake run, mini ramp, vertical ramp, funbox and a series of flat banks, transitions and hips. This park is located close to the tuggeranong Hyperdome Shopping complex, Tuggeranong Bus Interchange, Tuggeranong Town Park and Lake Tuggeranong District Park.

Anketell St, Greenway (near Tuggeranong Town Centre -behind the swimming pool) Tuggeranong 2900
13 22 81 | Website: http://www.parksandplaces.act.gov.au
Weston Creek Skate Park

There are plenty of challenges at Weston Skate Park, rated as the best park facility in Canberra. The park provides plenty of opportunities for children and teenagers. A combi pool made up of a square and round bowl, and a unique funbox with slant and curved banks add to the performance rating of the park. An escalator has also been added t the skate park which adds to the variety of opportunities for less experienced skaters and board riders.

Scout Place, (Near McDonalds & Tennis Club – about 15 km south west of Canberra City Centre) Weston Creek 2600
13 22 81 | Website: http://www.parksandplaces.act.gov.au

Charnwood Bowl
Dean Place (15 km north west of Canberra City Centre) Charnwood 2615

Dickson Mini Ramp
Antill Street, (three km north of the Canberra City Centre; in the trees behind Dickson swimming pool) Dickson 2602

Erindale Banks
Gratton Crt, Erindale Shopping Centre – behind the roller skating rink, about 16 km south of Canberra City Centre) Wanniassa 2903

Gungahlin Skate Park
Cnr Gundaroo Dr & Mirrabei Dr, (inside the adventure play ground – about 18 km north of Canberra City Centre) Amaroo 2914

The Yard Skate Park
Cnr Petrie St & Ballumbir St, Canberra City Civic 2602

Deadmandrinking said :

I always thought the problem with skate parks in canberra is they tend to get taken over by non-skaters who just want to cause trouble. That might have changed since, though. I haven’t been a kid for some years now…

lol..really DMD? At least in REAL age you are, just kidding…

but, i agree…
Also – skate parks arent for everyone, for one there is a certain level of skill required to use it. It’s a bit embarrassing having to practice in front of a large crowd when you are not the most confident skater! Practicing elsewhere then being able to go to the park has always been the way. And also if you happen to be filming it, theres less chance of other skaters/kiddies getting in the way… 😉

Deadmandrinking12:48 pm 20 Jan 09

I always thought the problem with skate parks in canberra is they tend to get taken over by non-skaters who just want to cause trouble. That might have changed since, though. I haven’t been a kid for some years now…

i thought the sacrifices of war were for freedoms – aren’t these l’il skegs ‘free’ to skate in a public place?

Gerry-built has the right idea; modify it so it can’t be used for skating. As for kids will be kids, there isn’t one of us who didn’t do something stupid as a youngster.

GardeningGirl2:18 am 20 Jan 09

danggers16 said :

Skateboarders have always been looked down on in society so whatever you have to say or the media has to say i personally dont give a fuck about because i will keep skating even if it is illegal

danggers16, I don’t mind people skateboarding. I’m not aware of it being illegal (unless it comes under the same restrictions as riding a bike?). What I look down on is people skateboarding in a way that puts others at risk of being knocked down or damages others people’s property or is in an inappropriate or disrespectful time or place. Don’t you have similar feelings about the things you value?
There is a skate park in Civic. This is a serious question, why don’t you use it? Is it badly designed? Is it too crowded? I am genuinely asking.

Oh, and lose the f word. In this context it looks silly, like it’s all about being rebellious rather than putting your opinion across.

Deadmandrinking11:48 pm 19 Jan 09

What’s wrong with building something you can skate on near the War memorial? Don’t we want our youth to see it? Kids don’t go to museums these days, so why not entice them to places of national significance with something more attractive?

I’ve got a feeling that the war memorial’s significance will be lost with the baby-boomer generation, considering their ‘don’t run in the temple’ attitude.

time for some weeks of work experience at the war memorial for the little shts.
If they did damage, they/their parents should pay to fix it.

I agree with Thumper(bleeding a little bit} but what do we do. Fence of said areas and make it more of a challenge to kiddies. Do we make significant memorials a now go for the folk that give a shit about them.

@ bigfeet: …and look what you’ve started 😉

I understand the significance of a memorial, but these kids sure as heck don’t (or maybe just don’t care – kids are a little self-absorbed before they learn otherwise [those that do anyhow]). My last comment suggested someone do something proactive – just as Thumpers last paragraph did. If the kids find the memorial so attractive for skating, then some alteration needs to be made to it (and other significant public objects/resources) to make it less so (rough concrete finish, knobs or blades in edges etc). You cannot simply build something and assume everyone will respect it as sacred – too many people out there have limited common sense and no sense of empathy (and it does tend to be the groups I outlined earlier in this post).

Thumper, a win-win simply means that both parties make a positive gain, and one certainly can be made here… by getting the kids off the memorial, whilst still being able to enjoy their hobby.

I think most rational people have no problem with kids taking up skating in appropriate public spaces – so it comes down to the location being ‘sacred’ (which I agree with and was never arguing about/against).

Kids will be kids (and I’m sorry Thumper, but that is true), they will do stuff that amuses them, even if it is wrong (just as they have since time began). But (as I said before) it doesn’t mean that they should get away with stuff (like skating on memorials) – my point was that jail/gaol time is hardly required here (as some have suggested)! I am not making excuses for their behaviour or lack of respect. Kids need to be educated and socialised – and school is not the only place that this should happen.

Apologies for length of post…

How did this topic get on here? I was typing up the question, went away to answer the phone and then forgot about it and my computer went into hibernation mode.

To my knowledge I didn’t submit it!

Spooky.

Gerry-Built said :

kids will use whatever is accessible to them, appropriate or not. I’m saying that if something near the memorials was more interesting to them, they wouldn’t use the memorials. You’ve gotta think win-win, not give them another reason to do something more anti-social… bored kids will find ways to amuse themselves, not always in the most appropriate ways.

Thankfully, most kids mature as the get older…

Kids will be kids… and not everything “inappropriate” kids do when they grow up should be punished by jail/gaol time…

Maybe if rather than bitching about it, the Vets (or any other concerned citizen) got down their and discussed their issues and concerns, in a friendly open way, the kids would be more appropriate… but I can tell you the ‘hard way’ just gets the kiddies backs up and certainly won’t have the desired result…

couldn’t agree more

kids will use whatever is accessible to them, appropriate or not. I’m saying that if something near the memorials was more interesting to them, they wouldn’t use the memorials. You’ve gotta think win-win, not give them another reason to do something more anti-social… bored kids will find ways to amuse themselves, not always in the most appropriate ways. Thankfully, most kids mature as the get older…

Kids will be kids… and not everything “inappropriate” kids do when they grow up should be punished by jail/gaol time…

Maybe if rather than bitching about it, the Vets (or any other concerned citizen) got down their and discussed their issues and concerns, in a friendly open way, the kids would be more appropriate… but I can tell you the ‘hard way’ just gets the kiddies backs up and certainly won’t have the desired result…

Deckard said :

sunshine said :

if the govt built better skate ramps

Don’t we have a couple of the worlds best skate parks in Tuggeranong and Belconnen?

well obviously not – if they were, then wouldn’t the kids use them more.

niftydog said :

If I stick my head out the window I’m sure I can hear them pissing themselves laughing at being called ‘skegs’.

They should be proud to be called skegs! At times it seems that I’m waging a one-man campaign to keep some of the old Canberra lingo alive, that’s why I called them skegs. I like the word.

Other than that, all good points niftydog.

If all else fails you could slap em around the head a bit with an E.T. (No not the alien).

Try to be civil first though – as per my first post 🙂

sunshine said :

if the govt built better skate ramps

Don’t we have a couple of the worlds best skate parks in Tuggeranong and Belconnen?

WMC: Trench and pounding. Yup.

oh for god’s sake – if the govt built better skate ramps etc the kids would use that – i understand the signifigance of the memorials and the kids shouldn’t be using them however at least it’s better than mugging old ladies. hmm, maybe that happens AFTER the skateboarding.

In schools these days kids aren’t taught about australian involvement in war and the importance of remembering the who have fought and died for their country. My 13 yr old hasn’t even been taught the australian national anthem. how can the youth of today be patriotic if they aren’t taught the importance of the past.

Woody Mann-Caruso6:22 pm 19 Jan 09

Let’s see – we can blame the victim and redesign all of our memorials, or…

We can slap these ignorant little f.ckers in the big house for a few nights and let a nice hairy bloke called Bruce teach them what it was like to lie on your belly in a trench to the sound of pounding artillery.

I know which option I prefer.

If I stick my head out the window I’m sure I can hear them pissing themselves laughing at being called ‘skegs’.

Build something that’s skate-able and expect it to be skated; Seems to me like this was overlooked in the design phase. The solution is simple – put a wheel-eating gap at the base of the ramp and the problem migrates – then sit back and await the slip’n’sue lawsuit.

They don’t care what the memorial is or what it stands for and any attempt to beat it into them, while undoubtedly an entertaining spectacle, is just pointless. They’re skating there because it’s fun to skate and they’re bored shitless… and no wonder. This town offers next to nothing for kids to do independently of ma & pa other than trolling aimlessly around school grounds and shopping centres. Funny how that hasn’t changed since I was 15… these last couple of weeks of summer holidays were always a bit of a stretch.

Would you like to buy a full stop?

Good point on the pyramids JB.

ive been there before and got footage and the spot has been in alot of Australian skateboarding videos and some local canberra ones as well ive been there once to film at first i checked the actual spot first to see if its anything that is a tribute to dead soilders but all it is sand from the beach gallipoli which is still a big deal to me so i decided not to skate on it and just filmed the other boys because my grandfather fought in world war 2 and i knew at some stage we were going to get caught or even bashed just had a feeling but we were there for about 1 hour and the police rocked up and kicked us out saying ” you guys have to leave because some people see this as a memorial ” they didnt take our names or anything so we left no tapes were taken or anything . its just the media that blows everything out of proportion as they do with everything these days to turn to public against certain people
there is a forum on the skateboarding website you guys should look at

http://www.skateboard.com.au/forum/read.cfm?forum=15&thread=61580

but im going to keep away from the place and have ever since we got kicked out which was 2 years ago and i still skateboard . Skateboarders have always been looked down on in society so whatever you have to say or the media has to say i personally dont give a fuck about because i will keep skating even if it is illegal

it’s hardly worth commenting on this. Just another beat up that really doesn’t matter in order to make the oldies tune into these bullshit tabloid programs at the expense of youth.

And the memorial in question is more of a wank to the greater glory of the NCA than any homage to actual diggers.

Considering the pictures in the AWM of our brave lads skylarking on the great pyramid I’m guessing given the chance they’d have done much the same.

Of course the little skegs are going to be cheeky to the TV cameras when they try to get some footage. That’s what many young people do when fronted by an outgraged tabloid journo.

The skegs could be doing a hell of a lot worse to the memorials if they really wanted to be disrepectful. That they “didn’t care their skateboards were scratching the monument or that they were being recorded by a television news crew” does not necessarily mean that they have no respect for Aussie diggers either.

Pommy bastard4:58 pm 19 Jan 09

Personally I think they deserve punishment.

A few weeks cleaning the homes of veterans should do it.

Also they need to get the fact, that they are only skateboarding in a free and open country due to the sacrifice of men and women past, hammered into them.

With a cricket bat if necessary.

stray said :

i dont really understand what the big deal is. if anything, they’ll probably learn/absorb more and understand the true costs of war by visiting there everyday.
I mean its not the greatest place for kids to be skating, but its hardly the most disrespectful thing that has ever happened to war memorials…
i think its nice that we have places in canberra that youths are comfortable being in and enjoying…

/ducks

crap.

the only way they will understand the true costs of war is if we send them to a warzone as cannon fodder.

i dont really understand what the big deal is. if anything, they’ll probably learn/absorb more and understand the true costs of war by visiting there everyday.
I mean its not the greatest place for kids to be skating, but its hardly the most disrespectful thing that has ever happened to war memorials…
i think its nice that we have places in canberra that youths are comfortable being in and enjoying…

/ducks

…and in general, perhaps the design of monuments needs to be examined, rather than the (rather predictable) actions of the skating children, vandalising adolescents and drunk adults (not that they shouldn’t be held accountable though). Monuments, sculptures and other public amenities are ALWAYS going to be used and abused in ways unintended, and unfortunately you cannot simply say that it is sacred and shouldn’t be mistreated… no amount of education or public service announcements are going to ‘reach’ 100% of people.

Good on you Danman: “You need not always be an @sshole when dealing with miscreant, and in my experience, you can often get desired results when they see adults respecting them” – so true…

I walk past there everyday on my walk from the office back to the Anzac Park West carpark and I regularly see them doing it. I’m surprised that the police havent put a stop to it.

“build it and they will come” apparently works in the negative also.

Maybe someone in ACT Gov needs to make a bloody big sign. We all know how well bloody big signs work, eh?

The little metal studs and blades that a lot of planter boxes etc seem to have in them nowadays work wonders, and perhaps that, coupled with other infrastructure nearby being more “skater friendly” might deter them using the memorials… afterall, at least the kids were outside doing something – we can’t simply “go-off” at everything they do – or they’ll become more sedentary than they already are… respect is something that comes with age, not just education. BTW the publicity (even negative) that they might get out of this will be a big thrill for them – they are, afterall, adolescents… (& they might even post it on YouTube)

Maybe ask them to show a bit of respect for the fallen who have given their lives for us to live how we do today.

You need not always be an @sshole when dealing with miscreant, and in my experience, you can often get desired results when they see adults respecting them, rather than saying “Piss off ya cheeky little mongrels”

And of course NineMSN are beating it up, as it was, after all a SEVEN News crew who shot the footage 😉

Sell them to a passing Afghan camel trader. I did that wiht my kids and it didn’t hurt them one bit. No siree…

sell em for medical experiments.

Should these miscreants immediately be drafted and shipped to Iraq.

They look a little young for that.

What we need is a good war.

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