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NSW Liberal MP John Ajaka has condemned the names of the state’s Middle Eastern and Asian organised crime squads as ethnic vilification.
Although Mr Ajaka declined to suggest alternative branding, The Daily Grind understands that one front-runner for the Middle Eastern squad is “Strike Force Moustache”.
Mr Ajaka, who is of Lebanese descent, hopes to end the stereotype of Middle Eastern men being involved in crime, and replace it with a new stereotype of Middle Eastern men being involved in public navel-gazing.
Mr Ajaka was quoted by the ABC as saying “I do not agree that the answer is just simply [to] label one community. ... That doesn’t solve crime.” Police concede that the name of a crime squad rarely does anything to solve crime, although having police in the squad doing police-work might do the trick.
The Middle Eastern crime squad was established years ago in response to a lingering racist belief that the community was harbouring as many as 40 thieves. Just last week, officers from the squad raided a cave in Lakemba.
