Police are showing no tolerance for the behaviour of antisocial road users following incidents on Friday.
SunLive readers report seeing dangerous and violent behaviour at various road locations across the Tauranga region on Friday night.
"[Friday] night there were over 200 of them parked along Marine Parade in Mount Maunganui harassing the general public," says a SunLive reader.
"As they travel together they travel in a long line and overtake and harass other cars in the road that may get in their way."
Cars and drivers were seen to congregate around 9pm on Friday July 14 on Marine Parade.
A person who attended says that "they all meet at one spot which on Friday night was Marine Parade, then they wait for a location to be posted online and they all meet there".
"So the first spot was at TECT Park, they then moved to the intersection of Okoroire Road and Hardwoods Road, then to Old Coach Road in Paengaroa."
"We have footage of a police vehicle being blocked and kicked and bottles thrown at [it] in attempts to break up the car meet at TECT Park Pyes Pa Road," says a SunLive reader.
"Another person was also dragged out of a vehicle and beaten to where three juveniles stole the vehicle of the person who was assaulted.
"These car meets are getting out of control, increasingly more violent and more intimidating."
Hundreds of people with over 200 cars are reported to have gathered on Marine Parade on Friday night. Photo: Supplied.
"Police were aware of planned boy racer activity in the Mount Maunganui/Tauranga area for Friday July 14, and had staff deployed to the area to respond," says a police spokesperson.
Police issued 36 infringement notices and issued two summonses for excess breath alcohol.
A man will also appear before the court in relation to dangerous driving, fleeing from Police, and excess breath alcohol. His vehicle was also impounded.
"Increasing street racing behaviour is causing great concern for our city," says a SunLive reader.
"These boy racers and the people attending are highly intimidating, violent and disrespectful to the general public and police. When are we as a city and when are police going to really crack down on this antisocial behaviour? These things are getting out of control!"
Police issued infringement notices and impounded a vehicle following antisocial road behaviour on Friday night. Photo: Supplied.
Police are reassuring the community that they are taking appropriate action.
"We would like to reassure the public that we have no tolerance for antisocial road users and the distress they cause the community with their behaviour,' says a police spokesperson.
"When we are aware of planned events such as this, we will attend and won't hesitate to take enforcement action where appropriate."
6 comments
Why isn't there a Law...
Posted on 16-07-2023 13:43 | By morepork
... against instigating a flash mob, which results in the Law being broken? The Democratic right for people to assemble does not extend to breaking the Law. Obviously, the technology is enabling behaviours which were not foreseen by the Lawmakers, and there is no attempt to adapt or create Laws to handle it. (Funny, they can pass political legislation quickly enough, when it suits them...) When Police and their cars are attacked that must constitute riotous assembly and reinforcements should arrive to round up the perpetrators. Police said: "When we are aware of planned events such as this, we will attend and won’t hesitate to take enforcement action where appropriate." Did anyone ask the person who was assaulted and had their car stolen, how they feel about that? Police need more empowerment to meet the challenges of modern technology. The message must be clear...zero tolerance for Lawlessness.
Hmmm
Posted on 16-07-2023 14:26 | By Let's get real
Surely if the police were going to take this seriously, they would be using specialist units to identify the regular players and monitor them the way they do with other violent and antisocial groups. This is almost certainly populated by gang members and associates, who may be on strict parole conditions and if they were actually introduced, non-association orders. But of course, prisons are being emptied (because prison doesn't work) and nobody will be sent there because antisocial behaviour isn't harmful.
Little tolerance
Posted on 16-07-2023 16:06 | By oceans
Take the cars off them and crush them. And as for the thugs who damaged the police car. (tax payers property) charge them and give them a term of imprisonment. The police and the courts need to take a hard line on all anti social behaviour including ram raids and assaults, other wise it will just continue.
Democracy
Posted on 16-07-2023 19:42 | By oceans
If democracy is not a S*** show it is not a real democracy
@Oceans
Posted on 17-07-2023 12:57 | By morepork
The fact that this kind of "shit show" occurs, is not the fault of Democracy. If we lived under tribal tikanga it would still occur. Democracy gives people the right to assemble in groups; it DOESN'T give them the right to break the Law. The sad thing here is that the people involved take for granted their right to assemble and never give a thought to how those rights were earned. If they had experienced life under an autocratic dictator or despot, and seen crowds being dispersed, not with water cannon or rubber bullets, but with machine guns, they might be a bit less inclined to devalue their freedom.
@ Morepork
Posted on 19-07-2023 19:09 | By k Smith
This has nothing to do with tribal tikanga I'm surprised you mentioned it. Agree with the rest of your comments. If we can take look at what they do in England they control the youngsters by insurance. If you are not insured you get your car taken away and fines insurance need to be sorted in a timeframe, not sorting this out your car gets crushed and you have to pay for it. If you are under 25 your insurance comes with restrictions.
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