Two teenage girls are facing charges after a tourist was allegedly assaulted and left bleeding on a Hobart footpath on Monday night.
Police responded to reports of the assault near Franklin Square about 8:10pm.
A 15-year-old girl has been charged with assault, nine counts of stealing and stealing with force, while a 16-year-old faces charges of stealing and trespass.
Tasmania Police said not all charges are directly related to the assault and the 16-year-old’s involvement in that incident is still under investigation.
Both girls have been released on bail and will face a youth court next month.
Restaurateur Arvi Singh said he witnessed the attack whilst driving home with his wife and immediately stopped to help.
He found the female tourist on the footpath bleeding and “completely shaken up”, telling the ABC communication was difficult as she spoke only Chinese.
“When I saw these Chinese tourists on the floor, the girl on the floor bleeding, I couldn’t take it,” Singh said. “This needs to stop.”
After calling police, Singh followed the alleged attackers and helped officers track them down at a nearby bus stop near Hobart City Apartments.
The incident has reignited concerns about safety in Hobart’s CBD. Singh, who operates his business in the city seven days a week, said the location made the alleged assault particularly troubling.
“This is not a Bridgewater or Rokeby, though it shouldn’t happen there also, but this is the face of Hobart,” he said. “If people are not safe here, then where are they?”
“We have seen enough. This needs to stop.”
Singh’s comments follow another recent incident where a teenage boy was allegedly bashed by a group of young people in the city last week.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact them on 131 444 or report anonymously via Crime Stoppers.
