Sebastopol Street Push

The Sebastopol Street Push were a group of teenagers who caused numerous acts of vandalism in Redan,.

Charged
The gang leader was charged with various offences in September 1899: "Thomas Henry M'Lean, a youth, was charged at the City Court yesterday with firing missiles and using obscene language. Constable Hooley on Thursday night saw accused and a number of his 'push” sitting on the kerbstone at the corner of Sebastopol and Talbot streets, and peppering the houses with stones from shanghais. Accused was also using filthy language. Witness said that there had been numberless complaints about this gang of roughs, who had broken the street lamps in all directions, and were getting worse lately than he had ever known them to be. An aunt of accused said that he was the sole support of his mother, who was very ill, and any penalty would fall on her. The chairman (Mayor Heinz) remarked that the nuisance created by the Redan larrikins was getting too pronounced to be lightly passed over. The accused would be leniently treated for his mother’s sake; but on any future occasion he would not receive such consideration. He would be fined 5s on the charge of using obscene language. The other charge was withdrawn; but Inspector Young pointed out that those who used shanghais were liable to very heavy penalties."