Gang fight breaks out at child's tangi in Pukekohe

This man attacked a motorcycle with a pipe before threatening others. Photo / Supplied

Video footage of a fight between gang members at a tangi in Auckland's Pukekohe has surfaced online, showing suburban streets overtaken by patched members as whānau gathered to farewell a young child.

The video, posted to social media on Tuesday, begins with a man sporting Black Power regalia wildly swinging a pipe and claiming he was acting out of "principle".

Patched Head Hunters gang members on foot and on motorbikes quickly swarm the area.

"They're trying to have a fight at our moko's tangi" a woman can be heard saying.

The woman filming expresses concern about her safety as large numbers of patched gang members gather on the street.

This man attacked a motorcycle with a pipe before threatening others. Photo / Supplied

Further down the street arguments continue between patched members of the Head Hunters and Black Power, who have a long-established presence in the area.

Cars are blocked from travelling down the street as the standoff continues.

Young children can be heard crying in the car as the violence continues, set to the soundtrack of motorcycles revving their engines.

"They've got guns," the woman says before a sound like a gunshot is heard and some members of the crowd scatter.

"Can I get through?" she asks. "I've only got babies in my car."

Multiple patched members of the Head Hunters gang were involved. Photo / Supplied

Comments online claimed that shots were fired "by both sides" during the altercation and that a vehicle carrying the child's casket was forced to pull over during the melee.

A police spokesman told the Herald they received a small number of disorder calls in relation to the tangi, were monitoring the situation and speaking to individuals there who were co-operative.

"There was no violence to report," police said.