Girl's nose broken in cinema bashing

The group of 12- and 13-year-olds were set upon at Hastings' Reading Cinema. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

A group of 12- and 13-year-olds were left bloody, bruised and shaken after an unprovoked attack inside a Hastings cinema earlier this month.

A group of eight Hastings Intermediate children were at Reading Cinemas on Heretaunga St when about a dozen older teens, believed to be aged between 15 and 17, attacked them - breaking one girl's nose and leaving others with black eyes and bruised faces.

A Hastings mother, who did not wish to be named, said her son was with a group of eight youngsters at the cinema on April 10 when they were set upon by more than a dozen older youths.

She said the younger children had been verbally harassed by the older group earlier, but were trying to ignore them.

The group did have parents nearby in town, but they were not with them at the time.

"It was just one big gang-bash at the movie theatre, there was blood all over the place," she said.

Police were called to the cinema but the older group had fled.

Parents of the younger children allegedly located some after driving around town looking for the youths. The mother said the children were traumatised by the attack.

"They were shaking in the back seat of my car," she said.

"They were really shaken up about the whole situation.

"It wasn't just a slap across the head sort of beating, it was pretty brutal."

She said they had been receiving support from staff at their school, but parents were concerned that Reading Cinema staff apparently did not aid the children, who were calling for help.

Parents had been unsuccessful in setting up a meeting with the staff.

When contacted by Hawke's Bay Today, the cinema said it did not wish to comment on the issue.

Hastings Intermediate principal Andrew Shortcliffe said he was approached by the students involved and their parents at the school gates the following day.

"I could still see the bruising on their faces," he said.

"The parents feel quite angry that this happened in their community, that their 12-year-olds can't go to the movies on a Sunday afternoon."

Mr Shortcliffe said security footage of the attack was "disturbing".

"One girl had been really badly punched and thrown on the ground and kicked and kicked.

"Then they left but actually ran back to kick her again," he said.

The school held a special meeting with the children involved, and also held an assembly for the whole school, Mr Shortcliffe said.

"We took an authoritative approach - how to prevent such situations, how to make them feel safe on the streets so they don't get tormented but feel they can protect themselves.

"There is going to be some trauma and anger about this."

Police were unable to comment this morning.