The daughter of a woman allegedly stabbed at a Queensland mall has asked that people not be targeted because they have same skin colour as her alleged attacker, posting that a boy had nearly been driven to take his own life because of bullying.
Danice White took to Facebook on Friday to plead for unity and said if people wanted to help her family they should ‘stop attacking people of the same culture’ as a teenager accused of the attack.
A 16-year-old boy of African origin who moved to Australia as a baby has been charged with murder over the death of Vyleen White, 70, who was allegedly attacked outside Town Square Redbank Plains a week ago in front of her granddaughter.
Ms White’s other daughter, Cindy Micaleff, joined the Queensland African Communities Council (QACC) this week to call for ‘peace’ following reports of abuse and harassment towards Ipswich’s African community.
Danice claimed that she had personally been told about an African boy in the community – entirely unconnected to the case – who had attempted to take his own life following abuse and bullying directed at him in the wake of the tragedy.
Vyleen White (pictured) was allegedly stabbed outside Town Square Redbank Plains to steal her 2009 Hyundai Getz
Ms White’s daughter Danica has called for peace and claimed that she knew of an African boy unconnected to the case who had been bullied to the point of nearly taking his own life
Taking to the Redbank Plain Community Noticeboard on Friday, Ms White thanked the community for an outpouring of support but also took aim at the reports some people had been targeting African people because of their race.
She said that ‘if people really want to help our family out’ they could discourage any retaliation against people of the same race as the accused.
‘Some innocent boy should not have been bullied for his skin colour to the point of suicide… stop attacking and start uniting, it will bring change,’ she said.
She added that if people ‘wanted to do anything’ they should pressure politicians to take more action on curbing the youth crime problem.
‘My surname may be White but I love the colour black,’ she said.
Ms White’s other daughter, Cindy Micallef, on Thursday joined a media conference in Redbank Plains alongside Queensland African Communities Council (QACC) president Beny Bol OAM.
Vyleen White’s other daughter Cindy Micaleff consoles the victim’s husband Victor
Queensland African Communities Council president Beny Bol said the families of the teens arrested in relation to Ms White’s case were ‘heartbroken’ and felt ‘judged, misunderstood’
She pleaded that the community should not react in anger towards innocent families.
‘Mum’s legacy will live on in peace. She was never one to be prejudiced, she always looked for the best in people,’ she said.
Mr Bol said he was ‘moved’ by Ms Micallef’s decision to join him in appealing for peace and unity.
‘We are united, and we want to make sure that no other families go through the same pain again,’ he said.
‘This is not about race or religion, we are here because if somebody out there in our community – and I’m talking about the Australian community – and they care and they’re grieving and they want to see Vyleen’s legacy shine on, you need to join us. You need to be with us.
‘The best way we can honour her legacy is for us to preach peace, unity, justice and accountability, and make sure the people who do wrong things are held accountable individually.’
Four other teen boys, two aged 16 and two aged 15, have also been charged with one count each of unlawful use of a vehicle in relation to the alleged theft of Mrs White’s car.
Mr Bol said the families of the teenagers arrested in relation to Ms White’s alleged murder and theft of her car were ‘heartbroken’ and felt ‘judged, misunderstood’.
‘People don’t know what they’re going through,’ he said. ‘They came [to Australia] because of their children, they wanted a future for their children.
‘These are parents and families who want to see everybody happy, living in peace, and children growing up in peace and enjoying life… they feel so disempowered and confused.’
Local woman Melissa Halliday is pictured visiting a memorial at the supermarket on Tuesday as residents call on the government to address youth crime
Mr Bol said since Mrs White’s death, African-Australians in places further afield than Ipswich had received ‘a lot of verbal abuse’ and trolling attacks on social media.
The attacks included people saying ‘go back’, ‘you’re monkeys’, ‘you shouldn’t be in this country’ and ‘pack all of your stuff and go back to your country’.
Ms Micallef said she had spoken to families of African origin who were ‘scared to take their kids to school’ in the wake of the attack on her mother.
‘You’re always going to have rogue kids,’ she said, but called on Queensland Premier Steven Miles to take stronger action on crime prevention.
‘He promised to protect the community and make changes,’ she told the press conference. ‘There’s no substance to what he says.
‘If this government isn’t going to make a change move over, because we’re going to get someone in to make the changes we need.’
South Sudanese Community Association of Queensland (SSCAQ) President Peter Garang Kooch agreed there had been a spike in aggression levelled at members of his community – both in public and online
Pictured: Peter Garang Kooch, the President of the South Sudanese Community Association of Queensland
He said he was aware of at least three reports being made to police within the Ipswich area about concerning intimidation incidents.
‘There has been verbal abuse and some [people] are threatening to physically attack, so they [members of the community] have had to run away for their safety,’ Mr Kooch told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Now, everybody in my community is scared that something will happen to us in a shopping centre or gathering place – especially women and children are frightened.’
Mr Kooch said, like in all communities, the act of killing is condemned within South Sudanese culture.
He said his community was devastated by what allegedly happened to Mrs White and the resulting racism had been saddening and disappointing.
‘As human beings, when something like that happens, it makes everyone feel sorrowful,’ he said.
‘We are all Australian regardless of our colour or where we came from.
‘In every community, there is good and bad. We cannot generalise. When a crime is committed, it should be separated from the individual’s family and from their community.
‘We should let the law take its course. Anyone who takes the law into their own hands has to be responsible for what they have done.’
