Two teenagers have been charged over a wild brawl at a south-west Sydney school that ended with six students in hospital.
The mid-morning melee at Belmore Boys High School was captured on mobile phone cameras, raising questions about the efficacy of a much-vaunted ban on the devices.
Emergency services were called about 11am on Thursday to the school on Burwood Road at Belmore after reports up to 30 students were involved in the fight on school grounds.
Six students ended up being taken to hospital, though their injuries were considered minor.
Two 16-year-old boys were arrested and were both charged with affray, with one also charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The teenagers were granted conditional bail to face a Children’s Court on May 29.
Videos of the alleged brawl obtained by Nine News appear to show a large group of students involved in or lingering on the periphery of the scuffle. Punches are thrown, students knocked to the ground are kicked and stomped, and wheelie bins are used as shields in the footage.
It was suggested online that the brawl had broken out because “the boys got carried away at lunch playing footy”.
The footage appears to have been shot on mobile phones, which were banned from being used in schools, including recess and lunch breaks, beginning in the final term of 2023.
Education Minister Prue Car condemned the brawl and said there was zero tolerance for violence in NSW schools.
“No child should ever be subjected to this kind of violence – at school, online, or anywhere else,” she said.
A spokesperson for the education department said the students involved had been suspended, while those who filmed the brawl may also find themselves in trouble.
“The student use of mobile phones is banned in all NSW public schools and students face consequences if caught using devices during school hours,” the spokesperson said.
Students are given formal cautions and dobbed in to their parents if caught using their phones at school, but can be suspended if they continue to flout the policy.
The school’s principal has issued a reminder to students and parents about the mobile phone ban.
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Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
