[Image: Facebook]

It takes a special kind of energy to turn a quiet coffee stop into a scene of utter rage and destruction.

An Australian man has been arrested in Vietnam after allegedly causing more than AUD$20,000 worth of damage during a violent outburst at Ge Cafe in Da Nang. That’s over R230,000.

The incident, which unfolded on Thursday and was captured on CCTV, shows a shirtless man hurling chairs through windows, smashing café equipment and destroying laptops left on tables. The footage also appears to show him putting one customer in a headlock while grabbing and shoving another.

By the time police arrived, the café looked as though it had been caught in the middle of a storm. Officers were later seen escorting the man from the premises, wearing only a pair of shorts.

According to a statement posted by Ge Cafe on Facebook, the trouble began shortly after the man sat down and was asked to place an order at the counter. A fellow customer reportedly tried to help bridge the language gap by offering his phone for translation purposes. Things quickly went downhill from there.

“The staff called security for help,” the cafe managers said. “But the employee had not yet run to call the security, (when the man) stood up and started to take off his shirt, slamming the customer’s phone (on the table).”

“He then proceeded to smash (everything), including a lot of bar equipment, shop decor items, tempered glass doors and guests’ belongings in the shop such as laptops and phones.”

Management said the destruction was concentrated on the first floor, while customers on the upper levels were effectively trapped as the chaos unfolded below.

“After about five minutes, the police arrived in front of the store, the man tried to find a way out and run to the second floor,” they said. Additional CCTV footage shows police wrestling with the man on an outdoor patio while two male patrons scramble to get out of the way. Police eventually restrained the suspect and removed him from the scene, reportedly “screaming in opposition”.

Despite the extensive damage, Ge Cafe says it has turned down offers of financial assistance from both local residents and foreign visitors who reached out following the incident.

The café is expected to remain closed for several days while repairs and clean-up operations continue. The Australian man remains in police custody as authorities investigate exactly what triggered one of the more bizarre café meltdowns the city has seen in recent memory.

SOURCE: 7 NEWS