The 11 men who pleaded guilty to rioting outside a Bob Jane T-marts store in Melbourne after a drag race was cancelled thought the rampage was funny, a court has been told.  

The men pleaded guilty on Wednesday to charges of riot over the trashing of the Oakleigh store in Melbourne's southeast on March 19 last year.  

Some are charged with additional offences, including theft and burglary.  


Five of the men had their matters adjourned for a pre-sentence hearing in March, while the rest will have their cases heard individually this week.

Prosecutor Diana Karamicov told the Melbourne Magistrates' Court word about the protest over the cancellation of the Easternats event, sponsored by Bob Jane, was spread via text message and the internet.

What began as a peaceful demonstration turned ugly once the crowd swelled to about 2000 people and police became targets, having bottles hurled at their unmarked cars.    

Flares were thrown and the store window was smashed using a baseball bat, a street sign and chairs.  

The total damage bill was more than $21,000.

A ute outside the shop was rolled, and a newspaper photographer was punched and kicked to the head as he crouched in the fetal position on the ground.    

The crowd chanted "bugger the Easternats and bugger Bob Jane", Ms Karamicov said.

"Let's start a riot."  

A video clip of the destruction, compiled using vision from YouTube and the media, was played to the court.

The destruction was met with cheers from the crowd.

"Collective actions of the accused on the night were part of a mob mentality," Ms Karamicov said.

She said the offenders were immature, underlined by their indications to police they thought the rampage was a fun joke.

"Through their sentencing they must be deterred from viewing such conduct in a flippant manner," Ms Karamicov said.

"The court must send a message to the community that ... protests resorting to violence will not be tolerated."  

Ms Karamicov said the offenders should either be sentenced to intensive corrections or a community-based order.

A victim impact statement from the owner of the Oakleigh Bob Jane franchise, Neville Smith, was tendered to the court.

The Vietnam veteran, who suffers post traumatic stress disorder, was worried a riot might happen again, Ms Karamicov said.

The offenders include Omar Amr of Springvale South, Aziz Elbayeh of Springvale, Maxwell Lawson of Narre Warren, Jordan Black of Carrum Downs and Jack Corben of Seaford.

The pre-sentence hearing before Magistrate Andrew Capell continues on Wednesday and is due to conclude on Friday.