HORRIFIC footage of a group of teenage girls bashing a mother at a shopping centre is being examined by police.
Graphic footage of the fight, which appeared to have been filmed on a mobile phone by a teenage bystander outside of a Westfield shopping centre, has been viewed more than 140,000 times since it was uploaded onto the internet last week.
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An ACT Police spokesman said the incident appeared to have taken place at the entrance of Westfield Woden, but was unsure when the attack occurred.
Warning: Video contains explicit language and violence. Click here to watch the video.
The spokesman said a formal report was not made to police over the incident.
YouTube has removed a copy of the video, although it is still available for viewing on other websites.
In the video, the woman can be heard arguing with two teenage girls about her daughter. It was claimed that the woman was also involved in an incident with one girls’ sister.
The woman and the girls then begin scuffling, before punches are thrown and a third teenager joins in.
The trio then overpower the woman by kicking, punching and kneeing her before leaving her lying on the floor just inside the doors of the shopping centre.
A man, known as “bro” on a website hosting the video, also said the shopping centre seemed to have been the graphic video’s location.
“This happened at my local shopping centre… I work in there,” bro said in a comment on the website.
“This is putting Australia to shame.”
A Westfield spokeswoman said the incident was not reported to security at the shopping centre and management were helping police look into the matter.
Adolescent psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said the video was “horrific stuff”.
“I think it’s appalling, it looks like the people watching it are egging them on,” Dr Carr-Gregg said.
“I think this is just another example of happy slapping.”
He said it was appalling that young people were committing violent acts to become internet celebrities.
Police said anyone with information about the incident should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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