Police, along with youth justice facility staff, remain in negotiations with several youths after they gained access to the roof of its Wiri facility last night.
A roof-top protest from youths locked up in a youth justice facility is over.
The last remaining youth came down from the roof shortly before noon, and after Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had earlier pulled no punches, saying authorities will not cave to their demands.
But the protest didn’t end before damage was done to a section of the unit’s roof.
The youths climbed atop a youth justice facility in South Auckland last night and an NZME photographer at the site heard them demanding fast food, cigarettes and a getaway car.
The Korowai Manaaki in Wiri said six of the 13 youths were coaxed down overnight, and five remained on the roof at 8.30am.
Police, along with youth justice facility staff, remain in negotiations with several youths after they gained access to the roof of its Wiri facility last night. Photo / Carson Bluck
The group were audibly demanding five large Big Mac combos from McDonald’s, cigarettes and a getaway car.
Luxon told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking Breakfast authorities were doing a good job trying to get them down.
“No, they’re not coming down for KFC,” Luxon said, referencing bargaining chips offered to youths at the same facility in July last year and at the Te Puna Wai ō Tuhinapo youth justice facility near Christchurch.
Police, along with youth justice facility staff, remain in negotiations with several youths after they gained access to the roof of its Wiri facility last night. Photo / Carson Bluck
“These are some of our most serious and hardcore young offenders.”
The Prime Minister later said he wouldn’t speculate on what had caused the incident, instead referring to the Government’s progression of recommendations from the youth justice facilities review led by former police commissioner Mike Bush.
”There’ll be more to understand exactly from this case once we get the kids down off the roof.
”However, Luxon did say it had been the first “rooftop incident” this year at a youth justice facility, less than the 15 he said took place last year.
Prior to the protest ending, Police and Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell said police officers had the situation contained and there was never a risk posed to the public.
And Iain Chapman, Oranga Tamariki Acting DCE Youth Justice Services and Residential CareOranga Tamariki, said staff were “actively engaging with the four youths remaining on the roof, working alongside police to bring them down in a safe manner”.
While the NZME photographer had heard the demands shouted from the rooftop, the group had not made any requests directly to OT.
“We can confirm the young people have made no requests or demands to our staff on site and there are no concerns for public safety,” Chapman said.
An NZME photographer on the scene said the youths were tearing off pieces of the roof, removing insulation and kicking the building.
“Another person was walking around the rooftop with some playing cards, while others shouted across to each other, making jokes and laughing.”
The youths were demanding Big Macs and cigarettes. Photo / Hayden Woodward.
The Herald saw the youths yelling out from atop the roof this morning, about 12 hours after the incident began.
The youths were spread out across two separate areas, yelling gang slang and making gang-like hand gesture signs at the officers below.
“Is this going on the news? Tell them we are protesting,” one youth said.
Authorities were throwing water bottles on to the roof for the youths.
In a statement, Chapman, said Oranga Tamariki confirmed they were responding to an incident at Korowai Manaaki, one of their Auckland youth justice facilities.
