Funeral raises riot fears: [1 All-round Country Edition]
John Stapleton, Annabelle McDonald. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 04 Mar 2005: 7.
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Abstract
Adding to the tension, the driver of the stolen car, Jesse Kelly, on the run from police since the crash on the housing estate at Macquarie Fields, in Sydney's west, is expected to attend the funeral of close mate, 17-year-old Dylan Rayward.
Mr Kelly, a central figure in the Macquarie Fields Boys gang, also known as the Kelly Gang, has blamed the police for the deaths of two of his closest friends, Rayward and 19-year-old Matt Robertson.
"Dylan and Matt did not deserve this," he said. "It is the cops. Everyone blames them for it. Matt was my best friend. I have the same tattoos as him. We got them at the same time. I loved him like my brother."
POLICE fear a further outbreak of violence will be triggered on the suburban streets of Sydney after today's funeral of one of the two men killed in a car accident after a high-speed police chase.
Adding to the tension, the driver of the stolen car, Jesse Kelly, on the run from police since the crash on the housing estate at Macquarie Fields, in Sydney's west, is expected to attend the funeral of close mate, 17-year-old Dylan Rayward.
If Mr Kelly attends, police could face more violence if they move in to arrest him.
But if the police accede to the wishes of Mr Rayward's family and stay away from the funeral, Mr Kelly could again slip their net, or worse.
"We have heard that he will hand himself in after the funeral, but I have also heard he would blow himself up with a grenade after," said a local officer, who did not want to be named.
John Howard joined the widespread public and political condemnation of the rioters yesterday, backing NSW Premier Bob Carr's hardline stance. The Prime Minister said the police had his "150 per cent support".
"There is no excuse, based on claimed underprivilege, to justify the open defiance of the law," he said.
Mr Kelly, a central figure in the Macquarie Fields Boys gang, also known as the Kelly Gang, has blamed the police for the deaths of two of his closest friends, Rayward and 19-year-old Matt Robertson.
Wearing the gang's T-shirt, with the motto, "I wish I was anywhere but here", a highly distressed Mr Kelly told The Australian this week that everyone in the area blamed the police for the accident.
"Dylan and Matt did not deserve this," he said. "It is the cops. Everyone blames them for it. Matt was my best friend. I have the same tattoos as him. We got them at the same time. I loved him like my brother."
The deaths triggered four nights of violence on the streets of the depressed estate, with 31 people being charged with 87 offences.
With tensions still high, Rayward's family has pleaded for police to stay away from the funeral. Police are refusing to comment on their plans.
Detectives visited a number of houses on the estate yesterday and searched surrounding bushland. But Mr Kelly continued to evade the extensive police search. His exact whereabouts is a closely guarded community secret.
Mr Kelly, who was on bail for another charge at the time of the crash, said he and other local gang members, including the two dead boys, were constantly being targeting by police.
Red-eyed and tearful, he said: "I get harassed all the time. Just three days ago, they told my Auntie Debbie someone was going to die."
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