Stay away from funeral, Australian police warned

SYDNEY - Police have been warned to stay away from the funeral tomorrow of a teenager whose death in a car crash sparked Sydney's Macquarie Fields riots.

The warning came as Prime Minister John Howard backed the actions of police, and said underprivilege should not be used as an excuse for bad behaviour.

"If there are social problems in an area, they need to be addressed but no amount of social disadvantage can justify the sort of behaviour, the sort of danger that has been thrown the way of the police," Mr Howard told radio station 2GB.

Four more people were arrested today in the wake of weekend riots in the troubled Sydney suburb.

A total of 31 people have now been charged with a total of 87 offences following four nights of rioting.

The trouble erupted after Dylan James Rayward, 17, and Matthew Robertson, 19, were killed when a car crashed into a tree during a short police chase in Macquarie Fields last Friday night.

The alleged driver of the car, 20-year-old Jesse Kelly, is still being hunted by police.

Mr Rayward's funeral will be held tomorrow, but locals warned police to stay away, saying it would be a provocative show of disrespect to attend.

There is speculation Kelly may try to attend the funeral service.

A 16-year-old girl from Macquarie Fields, among the four people arrested today, and charged with riot and affray, told the Ten Network there was still anger towards the police.

She said there was concern police might get too close at the funeral.

"There's a fair bit of talk about it but I hope not because that's completely disrespectful," she said.

Shannon Darren Wilkie, 18, who lived with Mr Rayward and his family, has been charged with riot and affray, but was granted court bail this week on compassionate grounds so he could attend tomorrow's funeral.

He warned there would be trouble if police were seen at the funerals.

"That would get everyone worried," he said yesterday.

"They shouldn't rock up to the funeral, it's not their funeral. They are not there to pay their respects, so don't turn up."

Wilkie said Kelly should be allowed to attend the funerals.

"They should let (Kelly) go -- let him attend the funerals," Wilkie said.

"I don't know what they want him for but whatever it is he should be at the funerals."

Other arrests today included a 20-year-old man charged with riot and a 14 year-old youth charged with riot and three counts of intimidate police.

A 16-year-old youth was still being questioned over the riots.

- AAP