A 16-year-old girl has been charged with assaulting two police officers after a Halloween party attended by 400 people in the Perth suburb of Byford spiralled out of control. Police were called to a property on Linton Street North just after 9:30pm on Friday to disperse the largely intoxicated crowd, which included gatecrashers.
It is alleged the teenager punched one officer in the face and kicked another in the knee. The Glen Iris girl was charged with two counts of assaulting a public officer. A 21-year-old man from Thornlie was also charged with obstructing police, disorderly conduct and drug possession.
Residents described the chaos, with Linton Street North resident Jean saying the party initially calmed down after police arrived but then escalated. She reported seeing a teenage boy try to run at officers after being told to calm down, and police subduing him. Another resident, Rebecca Baldwin, discovered damage to her recently installed fence the next morning.
Some residents linked the incident to the new Byford train line, suggesting it made the party more accessible to outsiders. However, Minister for Community Services Simone McGurk dismissed that claim, stating the rail extension is vital infrastructure to connect outer suburbs to the city.
