Rebels gang arrived in Coromandel on the weekend, intimidated locals and attacked two men on the street.
Video / Supplied
Coromandel Town locals have been left fearful after members of the Rebels gang spent the weekend attacking and terrorising people in the town centre.
Starting on Friday, members of the public have been attacked, business owners have been intimidated, and a number of thefts have been reported, according to the local business association.
One video shared with the Herald shows at least a dozen gang members assaulting a group of three men outside the Coromandel Smoking Company, a fish shop on Tiki Rd.
Up to 10 men, some in Rebels patches, surround a young man, kicking and punching him as he lays on the ground.
Most of the incidents happened on or near the main street of the town. The gang left town on Sunday but told several business owners they would be back.
A third man cowers on the ground following the attack.
Coromandel Business Association vice chair Anne Louden told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking this morning the town was “really shocked” by the weekend’s events, with several videos doing the rounds on social media.
One incident on Saturday night at the local hotel had left her “appalled by the brutal violence and lack of humanity these people seem to have”.
The perpetrators seemed to believe there would be no repercussions, she said.
Gangs - not just the Rebels - were a common sight in the town as she believed there was some “nasty distribution business” happening nearby.
“We’re sick to death of it up here.”
Louden blamed the increase in gang violence on people being deported to New Zealand and left without support, which led to them turning to gangs.
The National Party has organised a town public safety meeting for 6pm tonight, with the party’s police spokesman Mark Mitchell and Coromandel MP Scott Simpson attending.
The original venue was the fire station but due to the number of people attending it has been moved to the Coromandel Citizens’ Hall.
