Riverina Police District inspector Peter McLay told a press conference that four male teenagers, aged between 13 and 15 years, acted together to cause fear to a family of six.

Inspector McLay said the alleged incident occurred about 4pm on Sunday, targeting a family of two adults and four children.

“Police will allege that these juveniles were throwing rocks at the house,” he said.

“They also struck one of the [adult] victims with a pole and a number of punches were also thrown.

“[The male victim] did not sustain any injury that required treatment but he was fairly shaken and upset and indeed the four children [were as well].”

Inspector McLay alleged that the attack was racially motivated and that the juveniles had been intimidating the two adult victims “for a number of days”, culminating in the alleged incident.

“Some words were used towards the victims as a result of the victims being of Indian descent,” he said.

“We’re treating it as possibly racially motivated and it’s extremely concerning for that fact.”

All teenagers were charged with malicious damage, behaving in an offensive manner, intimidation and affray.

One of teenagers was charged with eight offences, including common assault, two counts of malicious damage, two counts of intimidation and offensive behaviour and use of an offensive weapon with the intent to commit an indictable offence.

All four were granted conditional bail and are due to appear at a children’s court in September.

“It was brought to police attention that there’s been a number of recent incidents in and around Kooringal in which these juveniles may well be responsible for,” Inspector McLay said.

“Police will investigate those matters further as well.”

Inspector McLay said the teenagers’ alleged actions “can only be described as disgraceful behaviour”.

“Police won’t tolerate such behaviours and [we’re] taking the strongest possible action,” he said.

Inspector McLay encouraged residents to continue to report concerns.

“Some of these people may be new arrivals or perhaps visitors on visas, but we encourage them to come forward to make reports to police,” he said.

“If they don’t feel comfortable doing that, they can certainly report any concerns they have to the Multicultural Council in Wagga, who are only too happy to take their particulars and pass them onto police.”