NSW POLICE URGE BEACHGOERS TO STAY AWAY

It looks like NSW police could have their hands full this weekend:

Police in New South Wales are urging people to avoid some beaches this weekend, with the expectation of more ethnic violence in Sydney and other parts of the coast.

Police Commissioner Ken Moroney says intelligence suggests many people are planning to bring weapons, including guns and baseball bats, to beaches to continue fighting.

"The beaches that I mentioned specifically were Cronulla, Wollongong, Newcastle - in particular Nobby's Beach - the eastern beaches of Sydney, and more particularly Maroubra and Bondi, and Terrigal on the central coast," he said.

A large number of non-locals are going to be disappointed if they can't get to the beach:

Police are investigating reports that interstate recruits ready to join in fresh racially motivated violence are arriving in Sydney by the bus and carload. The Australian reported today youths and ethnic "lions" from Melbourne are believed to be heading north intent on creating more mayhem. New South Wales police have called the reports "unconfirmed rumours" but said they are being investigated.

Expectations among the young Lebanese community in western Sydney that further trouble will develop over the weekend comes despite calls from their religious leaders, police and politicians for both sides to calm down.

One 22-year-old ethnic Lebanese man yesterday told The Australian he and his friends were ready for a turf war. "The boys reckon it'll be like a scene out of Braveheart," he said.

Sources within the Lebanese community said three busloads of young men from Melbourne - Lebanese, Serbians, Italians and Greeks - and more than 30 carloads were expected to arrive in Sydney today and tomorrow.

"I've talked to a few mates in Melbourne and I know that some of my other buddies have too," said a 29-year-old Lebanese man from Lidcombe, in Sydney's west.

No doubt they'll find something to do to amuse themselves.

In related news, a group of entertainers staged a "hey, look at us" moment at Coogee beach:

Some of Australia's most famous entertainers have gathered together to call for an end to the prejudice that led to violence across Sydney this week.

Cate Blanchett, Jimmy Barnes, Mario Fenech, Claudia Karvan and local federal MP Peter Garrett launched the 'Wave of Respect' campaign at Coogee Beach this afternoon.

Actor Bryan Brown says Australia has problems that it has to deal with.

Blanchett says she is against violence and racism.

Probably the best this bunch can hope to get from the troublemakers is the "Finger of Disrespect". Actually, that's the best they'll get from me.