Video shows a vicious assault on Quay Street. Video / Supplied
Police have been slammed for their “entirely inadequate” response to a brutal group attack outside Auckland’s Ferry Building.
The Herald earlier reported the incident where six people punched, kicked and stomped a person lying on the ground on Quay St in front of tourists and Saturday night crowds.
City leaders called the group attack “barbaric and entirely beyond the pale” and demanded urgent action against violent crimes in the city.
Footage shows the victim being punched dozens of times by multiple people and one person stepping back before making a run-up kick to the victim’s back.
One person punches his head again, another kicks and stomps on him, and then another attacker picks up a shop sign from the side of the road and throws it at the victim as he lies motionless.
Video footage shows six people launching a vicious attack on one person lying on the ground outside the Ferry Building on Quay St, in front of tourists and Saturday night crowds.
A police spokeswoman said police received a report of disorder at the ferry terminal about 5.30pm Saturday, but the group scarpered before officers arrived.
“That [police were] aware of ‘a disorder’ over the weekend is frankly entirely inadequate and tends to indicate they don’t get it,” Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges told the Herald.
Bridges and Heart of the City chief executive Viv Beck said there needed to be a higher police presence on the streets of the central city, among other measures.
Bridges also said there needed to be policy changes: “Police need to show zero tolerance for violence and the anti-social behaviour we sadly seem too ready to accept.”
Auckland Business Chamber CEO Simon Bridges with Heart of the City CEO Viv Beck. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Auckland City area commander Inspector Grae Anderson, however, defended the number of police in the city, and said assaults like Saturday’s were “uncalled for and will not be tolerated”.
“Police have a stable and sizeable presence within the city centre and across Auckland City District,” Anderson said.
“Police responded to this incident within a short timeframe, however, as previously stated, upon officers arriving to the incident, the group had dispersed.”
He said police had not been able to identify the offenders or the victim.
Area commander for Auckland City, Inspector Grae Anderson. Photo / Dean Purcell
“Police will hold offenders accountable where this is supported by the evidence on offer and ability to identify parties involved, inclusive of victims and offenders,” Anderson said.
“The victim and witnesses to this incident are encouraged to contact police so that the investigation can advance further.”
Beck said Heart of the City had been working with police to create a plan to make people feel safe. She listed crime prevention measures she wanted to see.
“We have asked Government for more police and a stronger presence on the street, a downtown police station, better management of emergency housing, and effective mental health and addiction services for people who need help,” she said.
“It will be concerning if these longstanding requests are not reflected in the Budget.”
Bridges said he’d also raised issues of violence and anti-social behaviour with authorities, including Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, Minister for Auckland Michael Wood, and Police Minister Ginny Andersen.
“So they are aware of the issues,” he said.
Bridges said crime and safety were often the top issues businesses faced, according to surveys the chamber has done.
“I was walking through the city [Wednesday] night with my wife, and downtown does not feel safe,” he said.
“It needs to [feel safe], not just for the immediate locals but for all of Auckland and New Zealand, given the CBD’s place in our commercial and cultural life.”
Beck said the level of crime and violence reported daily across the city and country was distressing for all concerned.
“This is totally unacceptable and it needs to be addressed.”
As identified in an earlier Herald series on CBD crime, police have said there has been an increase in assaults in Auckland’s city centre since Covid-19.
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2023 report stated the number of victimisations for violent crime nationwide has increased by 33.4 per cent since 2017.
Meanwhile, retail crime, according to police statistics, has increased by 39 per cent in 2022 compared to 2021. There were 292 retail crime incidents every day in 2022, up from 140 per day in 2018.
Police have previously said some of the increase in reports of retail crime can be attributed to better reporting and recording methods.
Central Auckland has also been hit hard by the spike in ram raids during the past two years. Ram raids have increased nationwide by more than 500 per cent since 2018.
Recently-released data from police showed 51 ram raids took place nationally in March, up 24 per cent from the 41 in February. This followed a lull after a high of 116 ram raids last August as police and the Government poured more resources into combating the issue.
