Twelve people were arrested during a riot at Cronulla beach of Sydney, Australia's largest city, on Sunday in which mobs attacked people of Middle Eastern appearance.

Earlier in the day, thousands of people gathered at the beach in response to calls to retaliate for the bashing of two lifeguards a week ago, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio.

Mark Goodwin, assistant police commissioner of the state of New South Wales (NSW), of which Sydney is the capital, said several people were the victims of racial attacks.

"In terms of crowd swells against some people of Arabic extraction ... some of those people that have been targeted have been Australian-born people that attend this beach in a quiet and relaxing manner," he was quoted by ABC radio.

He said the attacks were un-Australian.

"People of Middle Eastern background that have been seen in the Cronulla area, a swarm of crowd has approached those people to hurl foul abuse and disgusting language and a most un-Australian approach to the way that the crowd has behaved," he said.

Meanwhile, NSW Ambulance Service said one of its vehicles, which had been transporting six injured people, was attacked.

One ambulance officer was hit over the head with a glass bottle and another on board received lacerations.

One of the six injured people was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition and the rest were treated for minor injuries in a secure location away from the crowds.

A heavy police presence will remain on guard in the beach community overnight, amid concerns the unrest may flare again.

Source: Xinhua