Youths attack Australian school

April 7, 2008

Several people were injured when youths armed with baseball bats and

a machete went on a rampage at a high school in the Australian city

of Sydney.

Two people were taken to hospital and a total of 18 people needed

medical treatment after the incident at Merrylands High School in

west Sydney.

The youths smashed windows, destroyed property and assaulted some of

the students, local media reports said.

Police later arrested five young men at the school.

The incident happened early on Monday morning as school was getting

under way.

Staff initiated a " lockdown " and confined students to their

classrooms as the group smashed windows and damaged equipment.

A number of students received minor injuries, a spokeswoman for the

New South Wales police said.

" Some were assaulted by the group and others received injuries from

the flying glass, " she said.

A teacher who tried to stop the attackers was hit with a weapon and

later taken to hospital, broadcaster ABC reported.

The group were not believed to be students at the school, police and

local officials said.

There was no immediate information on what motivated the attack.

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