LIMESTONE Coast Police officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff has warned against vigilantism following recent outcry over a Mount Gambier businessman’s treatment of a dog.
Police attended Mount Gambier Central on Saturday after a social media campaign called for vandalism of the Ha Ha Yummy storefront in the wake of Friday’s court hearing.
The Facebook event Mission Smash Up Ha Ha Yummy attracted over 160 responses from potential attendees and spread far further across the social media platform.
Supt Hoff said police were informed about the possibility of people attending the event and patrols were engaged.
“There was actually no event in the end which was a good thing,” he said.
“It was an opportunity to remind people they always have the ability to exercise their free rights and protest.
“Although, we will not tolerate the law being broken, people being hurt or damage being broken.”
Supt Hoff said there was a large difference between vigilante behaviour and lawful protesting.
The police leader said there had been no other threats or reports filed against Ha Ha Yummy or businessman Yum Ho Chan.
