A senior official from the Catholic Church in Melbourne has apologised for the action of his colleague after he was seen in a video clip giving the skate-boarding teenagers a 'tongue lashing.'
The Vicar-General, Monsignor Les Tomlinson apologised for Reverend Monsignor Geoffrey Baron verbal outburst at the youth but defended his action, saying he was 'under siege' and provoked when the group of teenagers refused his request to not skateboard on the steps of St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne.
Monsignor Tomlinson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that if someone was put under the same condition as Reverend Baron, would they not react in a similar fashion.
"If any human being is put under siege like that, they may well react in a way they wouldn't do," he said. "Could you imagine yourself being subjected to the abuse and the pushing that he was subjected to and be confident that you yourself would not react?"
The incident occurred last year and it was posted on the YouTube website. In the video clip, Reverend Baron was heard using expletive words and making racist remarks telling one of the teenagers, "To go back where you came from."