A disturbing brawl involving several teenage girls unfolded outside the McDonald’s on Anzac Parade in Maroubra on Saturday evening, leaving witnesses shaken and prompting fresh concerns about youth violence in the area.
Police from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command were called to the fast food restaurant at approximately 5.45pm on 14 February following reports of a fight. Footage filmed by a passing motorist captured the confrontation, which showed two girls allegedly attacking another girl on the footpath before dragging her onto the busy road.
The video depicts one alleged attacker repeatedly striking the victim, including pulling her hair and kicking her whilst she lay on the pavement near the intersection. A second girl, believed to be attempting to help the victim, was then set upon by one of the alleged attackers.
The witness who recorded the incident told news.com.au they were simply driving to work when the fight broke out. The footage shows dozens of pedestrians walking past, with only one woman appearing to call for assistance whilst others watched from a distance.
Police attended the scene and spoke with four females aged 12, 17, 18 and 21. The three younger females were released pending further enquiries, whilst the 18-year-old woman was taken to Maroubra Police Station where she was charged with affray. She was granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on 6 March 2026, according to IBTimes UK.
The incident has sparked debate on social media, with many questioning why bystanders did not intervene to stop the violence.
Domestic violence advocate and author Ashlee Donohue has expressed alarm about what she describes as increasing youth violence in Maroubra. Ms Donohue is CEO of Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Women’s Centre and has presented at United Nations forums on violence prevention.
Ms Donohue referenced a separate incident on Maroubra Bridge on 31 January, where a 14-year-old girl suffered serious injuries, including a collapsed lung, following an alleged assault by a group of girls. She believes social media is playing a role in fuelling these attacks, with perpetrators filming the violence to gain attention online.
“They are doing this to post it online to get likes and views,” Ms Donohue told the Daily Mail. She has called for changes to legislation that would hold those who film or encourage violence equally accountable as those who carry out the assaults.
Ms Donohue said the 14-year-old victim from the January incident had been lured to a location by a schoolmate under the pretence of hanging out at the beach, only to be set upon by several girls whilst approximately 15 others watched and encouraged the violence.
“This assault was brutal and planned,” she said. She noted that police have laid charges against several teens in relation to that incident, but has made a public appeal to meet with the parents of those involved.
The latest violence has rattled some Maroubra residents who remember when the suburb was synonymous with the Bra Boys surf gang in the 1990s. That group became notorious for territorial disputes and violent confrontations, gaining national attention through their 2007 documentary narrated by Russell Crowe.
Whilst Saturday’s incident resulted in charges, the broader question of how to address youth violence and the role of social media in amplifying these confrontations remains a concern for the local community.
Anyone with information about the Anzac Parade incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Published 16-February-2026
