Melbourne Rally Against Violent Crimes Gathers 1,000 Protesters

About 1,000 people participated in the rally, organized by the Enough is Enough activists group in Melbourne calling for tougher sentences for violent criminals.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Some 1,000 people gathered in Australia's second-largest city of Melbourne on Sunday calling for tougher sentences for violent criminals and stricter observance of offenders on bail, The Herald Sun reported.

The rally, organized by the Enough is Enough activists group took place weeks after 17-year-old schoolgirl Masa Vukotic was stabbed to death in a Melbourne park. The murder suspect, 31-year-old Sean Price turned himself in to police two days later.

Melbourne rally calls for tougher sentences for violent crimes. http://t.co/TQoF05BrEa pic.twitter.com/heBY49BijK

— The Age (@theage) April 12, 2015

Soon after the murder, Homicide squad Chief Detective Inspector Mick Hughes sparked mass criticism by suggesting in an interview with ABC Radio National that locals, "particularly females," should avoid being alone in parks.

"We just felt compelled to do something. Instead of protecting the criminal, start protecting the people," the march's organizer Wendy Sullivan said as quoted by Herald Sun.

The protesters who attended the Sunday rally held posters reading "Jail not Bail" and "Enough is Enough." Almost 20,000 people supported the Enough is Enough movement by "liking" its page on Facebook.