Police arrest man after racial incident

WA Police with the assistance of members of the public apprehended a man in relation to an assault that occurred in Gosnells around 6.20pm on Saturday 20 February 2021.

It will be alleged the man approached a 40-year-old woman and her teenage daughter who were walking along Corfield Street, between Verna Street and the Corfield Shopping Centre.

It will be further alleged the man yelled racial obscenities at the woman before spraying a can of deodorant in her direction. He then lit the spray, turning the can into a makeshift flamethrower, and attempted to burn the woman with the flame.

The 37-year-old man from Gosnells was detained by members of the public when they sighted him walking in the vicinity of Wilkinson Street in Gosnells around 6.15pm last night (24 February), wearing a red scarf with swastikas and other neo-Nazi images painted on it. They detained him and called police.

Detectives from the State Security Investigation Group charged the man with:-

• Unlawful Act or Omission with Intent to Harm (endangering life, health or safety of any person); and

• Conduct Intended to Racially Harass.

He is due to appear before the Perth Magistrates Court today, 25 February 2021.

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