Two men have been arrested after a man was thrown through the window of Hastings Library on Thursday.
The pair then allegedly climbed out the window and continued to assault the thrown man.
The attack, in front of shocked library onlookers, took place just after 11am.
Witnesses told Hawke's Bay Today a group of five men and one woman with a child were involved in an argument inside the library for about 10 minutes before it escalated.
One of the group was wearing a Mongrel Mob patch and witnesses said the argument appeared to be gang-related.