When the Dream Becomes a Nightmare: Why Australian Business Owners Deserve More Protection
Australia prides itself on being the land of the fair go. But for many small business owners—especially those operating in once-vibrant local precincts like Footscray in Melbourne’s inner west—that fair go feels more like a cruel myth. The recent, brutal assault on cafe owner Moustafa Saoud is not just an isolated act of violence; it's a damning indictment of how poorly we protect the very people who keep our communities thriving.
Mr Saoud wasn’t just punched in the mouth—he was punched out of his livelihood. His dream, the Eleven:11 cafe he launched with his brothers in late 2024, came to an abrupt and devastating halt after a hooded man entered, unprovoked, and violently attacked him. No words. No motive. Just a cold, calculated assault. But the true horror came the next day when the same man returned—this time visibly injured, potentially armed, and clearly a danger to himself and others.
Let that sink in: the man who had just committed a violent crime walked back onto the premises the next morning. No arrest. No protective action. Just more trauma for a business owner already reeling. The police attended when he was found bleeding outside the premises—but what about the night before? What about protecting the victim and ensuring his attacker couldn’t return so easily?
This isn’t just about one cafe or one attack. It’s about the growing tide of violence, addiction, and lawlessness swallowing our suburban high streets. Footscray, once rich with multicultural energy and entrepreneurial spirit, is now plagued with record levels of assault, drug abuse, and mental health-related incidents. The statistics are there—380 assaults reported in the area in the past year, more than double what was recorded just four years ago. And behind every number is a victim whose business, safety, and sanity hang in the balance.
Small business owners are not security guards. They are bakers, baristas, shopkeepers—mums and dads pouring their life savings into something they believe in. But in return, they are left to fend for themselves, often without adequate police presence, with little recourse, and burdened with financial obligations like rent and leases even after closing their doors.
What happened to Mr Saoud is unacceptable. It should be the line in the sand.
We need a police presence that reflects the reality on the ground. Not just in the aftermath of violence, but in prevention, patrols, and swift enforcement. There must be stronger protective measures for small businesses reporting crimes, particularly when they involve dangerous offenders. And if police resources are strained, then it's time for state and federal governments to step up and ensure that law enforcement is equipped and resourced to handle these issues at the street level—not just from a bureaucrat’s desk.
This is not about blame. It’s about responsibility. It’s about asking: how many more business owners need to be assaulted, traumatised, or worse before we act? How many more need to abandon their dreams before we realise that safety is not a privilege—it’s a right?
When people like Moustafa Saoud walk away from their businesses, our communities lose more than coffee. They lose culture. They lose jobs. They lose hope.
It’s time we do better. For them. For all of us.
If this story has affected you or someone you know, please reach out:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Headspace: 1800 650 890
Kalpi Prasad is a finance and business advocate based in South Australia. He writes about small business, community safety, and economic equity.
