Kim Smith following the attack over the weekend. Photo / Facebook
Kim Smith following the attack over the weekend. Photo / Facebook
WARNING: Graphic images
Kimberly Smith was jogging through her local park in Brisbane when she was savagely beaten by two women.
Now she has described the attack, which left her with a fractured cheekbone, how it took place and how she believes racial tension in her community may be toblame.
"Think your [sic] safe to go for a run around your neighbourhood..... apparently not," she posted of Facebook along with pictures of her bruised and bloodied face after the weekend altercation.
Smith described how she was running through a park in Redbank Plains, in Brisbane's southwest, when she was approached by two women she claims were of African descent.
The Queenslander claims that they were yelling abuse at her as she ran, so she asked them what the issue was.
"When I'm running, I generally keep to myself and I wouldn't have taken notice. But out of the corner of my eye I saw them coming closer and closer," she told news.com.au.
"They kept shouting at me, so I just asked them what their problem was. I didn't hear them because I had earphones in.
"Then I just felt this pain and I vaguely remember being knocked to the floor. The next thing I remember is picking myself up off the ground and trying to find help."
She believes the women punched her once in the head — but says she lost consciousness so she can't be sure.
Shaken by the assault, Smith flagged down a passing car and collapsed on a median strip before she was rushed to hospital.
She told news.com.au she believes the attack was racially motivated.
"I don't want this turning into a racist thing, and I know people who are Sudanese and they are great people, there is just a small minority of teenagers causing trouble and it has been getting worse over the years," she said.
"I just want to bring whoever did this to justice."
Her family told 9 News that the attack comes as tensions in the local community have heightened, resulting in some parks becoming "no-go zones".
"It's just the odd group of large African, Sudanese children who are causing havoc," Smith told the station. "I have nothing against African, Sudanese [people], but that's how I'm going to take it."
Despite the attack, local councillor Sheila Ireland told 9 News there is no African migrant crime problem in Redbank Plains and that no issues have been raised with her or at community meetings.
