Crate Day mayhem leads to booze ban for popular north Auckland beaches

A booze ban is being slapped on some of the Auckland region's most popular beaches for the first weekend in summer to avoid Crate Day carnage.

North Shore Police are cracking down on people drinking alcohol in public after last year's annual student celebration was marred by attacks and arrests. Buildings were trashed and revellers left comatosed and wounded.

In a warning on Facebook police say a 48-hour liquor ban will be in place on Hibiscus Coast beaches from Hatfields Beach south, including the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and regional parks this weekend.

It says 30 people were arrested during last year's booze-fuelled celebration at Stanmore Bay and a police officer was assaulted. Revellers were also seriously assaulted and scores suffered deep cuts on their feet from broken bottles. Others were left comatosed from a day of binge-drinking.

During Crate Day students try to drink a crate of beer from midday to celebrate the first Saturday in summer.

Police say they will be on the streets to make sure gatherings of people are not drinking alcohol in the banned areas and are promising consequences for anyone caught breaching the ban.

Police message for Crate Day

PLEASE BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY THIS CRATE DAY If you’re wondering why a temporary 48-hour liquor beach ban around the Hibiscus Coast has been put in place on 2-3 December for Crate Day, here’s a great example from last year’s event. Police made 30 arrests after last year’s event in Stanmore Bay and attended a number of serious incidents, including the assault of a police officer, people comatose from binge-drinking, serious assaults and people suffering deep cuts to their feet due to broken bottles. There was also a large bill incurred by the Auckland Council for the clean-up of broken bottles around the public soccer fields and public toilets. The ban will be in effect for all beaches, foreshore areas and parks from Hatfield’s Beach around the Hibiscus Coast and all of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Police will be on the streets to make sure there are no gatherings of people consuming alcohol in these places and there will be consequences for anyone caught breaching the liquor ban. We strongly advise anyone wanting to take part in Crate Day, to stay at home and have a responsible one there.

Posted by North Shore, Rodney & West Auckland Police on Tuesday, 28 November 2017

"The liquor ban has come about as a result of people's actions from last year where there was significant property damage - people's lives were actually put at risk - so we're not going to let that happen this year and we're going to look after our communities," said a police officer.

Students taking part in Crate Day are asked to stay home and enjoy the celebration responsibly away from public areas.

Last year Auckland Council had to foot a large bill to clean up broken bottles around public soccer fields and toilets.