Violence forces lockdown, early closure of Perth agricultural show

Fighting between groups of youths forced a long-running Perth agricultural show into lockdown and an eventual early closure on Saturday evening.

The Kelmscott Agricultural Show is a family event that has been running for more than 100 years, and features rides, showbags, log-chopping events and livestock exhibitions. 

Police were called to the show on Saturday afternoon as dozens of youths tried to enter the venue at Rushton Park on River Road in Kelmscott.

Kelmscott Agricultural Society president Daryl Dawes said fights between youths inside the showgrounds escalated throughout the day, before culminating in between 50 and 70 juveniles trying to enter the venue.

He said the show went into lockdown about 5pm on Saturday.

"Over the day we had some issues with youth coming in and causing fights on the grounds and it sort of escalated and grew and grew," Mr Dawes said.

"We ejected people that were causing disruptions in the show and it built up, out on River Road it just got worse and worse so unfortunately we had to go into a lockdown.

"All of our gates got shut … physically padlocked shut until we had a police presence to deal with what was going on outside."

Mr Dawes described the trouble as "disappointing", saying that it was the first time in his eight years as president of the society that the event had gone into lockdown. 

Mr Dawes said some of the juveniles were walking between the show's River Road entrance and it's Orlando Street entrance, looking for weak points and cutting fences and cable ties to try and gain entry.

"Our security team did a great job ... anyone that got in was very quickly ejected," he said.

Mr Dawes said the crowd dispersed quickly after police arrived. 

Police said they received reports of a large group of juveniles causing a disturbance at the show just after 4pm. 

A police spokesperson said no charges had been laid, but one juvenile received a caution for disorderly behaviour.