AFL champion Eddie Betts has released CCTV footage of a vile racist attack outside his Melbourne home, while his children played basketball in his garden.
The Crows and Blues legend posted the footage on Instagram, showing a car driving slowly down the street outside the house before someone in the car yells the N-word four times as they pass by.
A second angle of the footage shows children playing in the yard while the attack occurs.
Police confirmed they received a report and are investigating.
“Aboriginal children deserve to be able to play safely, free of racism and abuse over the fence,” Betts wrote in the post.
“We’re not even safe in our own homes. If you know who this is, let them know I’m willing to have a conversation about how much this hurts our kids.”
Betts, a fan favorite who played 350 games over a 16-year career, has been the target of racism in the past, including when the crowd threw a banana at him during a game in 2016.
ABC presenter and former Adelaide footballer Tony Armstrong told News Breakfast he was upset but not surprised by the attack.
- Watch the video: Warning: Images include offensive and racist language.
“We talk about shock, horror, all these kinds of things. I’m not surprised. I’m not surprised that it’s happening,” Armstrong said.
“What disappoints me the most is that people think that this doesn’t happen and that this comes out of nowhere.
“Every day you leave your house, you have your helmet on, you go out into the public, the same way people go on social media and feel like it’s a war zone, I don’t know what I’m going to do.” . Anything can happen.”
Armstrong said the images of children running from the backyard were particularly heartbreaking.
“This is at home,” he said.
“This is at the house, over the fence, and we saw the kids’ reaction. Running inside. Are you telling me they don’t have PTSD?”
Armstrong said Betts, known for trying to educate people who make racist comments, was within his rights to be furious.
“(If Betts expressed anger) there are people who would sit here and say, ‘why is he reacting like that? He has to be a bigger person.’ He’s had bananas thrown at him and he’s still showing up,” Armstrong said.
“He wants to extend the olive branch. He’s always the one who takes the higher ground and it’s his right to go, no, that’s enough.”
In a follow-up post on Instagram, Betts wrote a message thanking everyone for their support, accompanied by a video of his sons playing basketball.
“This won’t stop kids from playing ball,” he wrote.
Carlton issued a statement supporting Betts, who played 184 games for the Blues and scored 290 goals.
The club described the images released by Betts as “devastating” and “confronting.”
“Eddie’s bravery to not only once again report such vile and disgusting behavior, but also offer to educate the person responsible, is a testament to his qualities as a person and a leader in his community,” the Blues said in the statement. .
“It is the responsibility of all of us to follow Eddie’s example and ensure that we do everything we can to eradicate racism in all its forms.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan described the images as “disgusting” and said they must have been “painful” for the Betts family.
“It’s sickening and disgusting that kids playing basketball in their own backyard have to be subjected to such disgusting racial abuse,” he said.
“My thoughts are with Eddie and his family at this time. He has been very vocal about his own personal experience with racism and has been a strong and proud Indigenous man.”
Allan also sent a message to those responsible for the abuse: “Leave them alone.”
“I would say to people who have engaged in this behavior that there is no place for this type of disgusting behavior in Victoria. Let children be children, let them play in their own backyard,” he said.
In a joint statement, the AFL’s Andrew Dillon and Tanya Hosch said they had reached out to the Betts family to offer their support.
“Once again we find ourselves in a position where we must express our strongest condemnation against another example of overt racism, this time directed at children playing sports in their own backyard,” the statement said.
“We recognize the leadership of Eddie Betts for bringing national attention to this. Racism is wrong. Racism is harmful. Racism requires a response.
“The AFL takes this opportunity to remind everyone at all levels of the game that racist behavior is never welcome. Anywhere.
“We invite everyone to follow Eddie’s example by calling out racism when you hear, read or see it. We invite everyone to call out racism whenever possible.
“We must not look away, but rather come together to play our part in reducing racism.”
Victoria Police said they were investigating the matter, which took place around 8.30pm on Thursday night.
“Victoria Police takes these matters very seriously,” a statement read.
“Hate crimes cause serious harm to victims, often leaving them and their communities feeling vulnerable, threatened and isolated.
“Victoria Police does not tolerate violence, including that motivated by bias, racism or discrimination.
“People who experience or witness hate crimes or incidents should report them to the police at their local police station.”
ABC
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