Bay's mayors eye spread of ban on gang patches

Bans on gang patches could become more widespread, with several Bay of Plenty mayors interested in following Wanganui's lead.

Whakatane Mayor Colin Holmes said he believed the Wanganui patch ban was effective and it would be useful in remote rural communities, not just in the main Whakatane urban areas.

The Wanganui District Council (Prohibition of Gang Insignia) Act took effect on May 10 after its passage through Parliament. The act prohibits the display of gang insignia in specified places in Wanganui.

Mr Holmes said he was told the Government might draw up additional legislation that other councils could "opt into" to invoke patch and insignia bans.

Kawerau Mayor Malcolm Campbell said he was likely to support the initiative if it was instituted across the Bay of Plenty. If it was not, it might have the effect of herding gangs into areas where no ban applied.

East Coast MP Anne Tolley said recent gang-related murders in Murupara had made people more aware of gang activity and there was a "lot of interest" in the Wanganui ban.

She supported the concept of councils being able to ban patches from certain locations and said Mr Holmes' support would add to the momentum needed to bring that about.

But Murupara community leader Pem Bird said criminalising gang insignia was misguided because it did not modify the behaviour of gang members.

"How did they get their patch in the first place? Going to prison. There's no bite to criminalising people for patches."

He said any approach to curbing gang violence and intimidation would have to include consultation with local iwi.

The gang-associated killings of 16-year-old Jordan Herewini and 17-year-old Kaine Lewis in Murupara this year led to a community-led rahui (ban) on gang violence.

Mr Bird said the rahui had been successful because it had real penalties, and required gangs to respect the community culture and align themselves with its value systems.

"It doesn't criminalise people, but it has its own sanctions. Every gang member belongs to a marae, and will want to participate in something on marae at some stage. So we have sanctions on their participation - in funerals, in celebrations.

"It has one heck of an effect. It strikes them in a place that matters a lot."

Bay of Plenty police commander Gary Smith said police were "very aware" of the intimidating nature of gang patches in public places.

He said police would welcome measures that improved people's perception of safety and that sent a message that intimidating people by wearing patches was unacceptable.

- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: NZPA