Juicy Fest music festival: Arrests amid suspected gang presence - police

A police officer was hit with a bottle and there were scenes of intoxication, disorder and assault involving people - including suspected gang members - outside the Juicy Fest music festival in Wellington yesterday, police say.

However, the crowd of around 15,000 at Lower Hutt’s Hutt Park were “largely well-behaved”, police said in a statement.

Six people were arrested for fighting and disorderly behaviour at the music festival, which is billed as the biggest hip-hop and R&B music festival in the southern hemisphere and booked four Kiwi shows this week.

Kiwis are heading to dozens of outdoor music festivals this summer, but not everyone behaves themselves.

And there were “several incidents” outside the venue, police said.

“Police had a strong presence to address any issues. Officers dealt with several reports of intoxication, disorder, and assault involving people outside the event, including suspected gang members, and one police officer suffered minor injuries after being hit with a bottle, leading to the arrest of one man.”

Enquiries into the incidents outside the venue were continuing.

After shows in Christchurch on Wednesday and Wellington yesterday, Juicy Fest’s line-up returns to the stage at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland today and Bay Park in Tauranga tomorrow, where 10,000 are expected.

It could be a damp experience for those in our biggest city, with showers - heavy at times with thunderstorms and localised downpours possible before easing and becoming isolated late evening, and a high of 23C, according to MetService.

The forecast for Tauranga tomorrow is sunshine, also with a high of 23C.

Ashanti looking fab in pink , comfy, rested and fly. She said he likes to put his body on me”😁And we can say baby baby baby…….Day2 juicy fest 2024 NZ. #ashanti #nelly #nellyandashanti #juicyfest2024 #newyear #concert pic.twitter.com/kfvc3O8lyw

— 1212 Stories (@Eby_darl) January 5, 2024

Performing artists at Juicy Fest this year include two-time Grammy-nominated American singer, songwriter and actress Keri Hilson, T.I, T Pain, Mario, Trey Songz, Bone Thugs N Harmony, The Game, Ashanti, Fabolous, Mase and YG.

Five Australian shows are planned for later in the month.

The festival, which has seen ticketholders make the journey from around the country and beyond to the UK, Canada and US, also toured New Zealand last summer.

At the Napier show in 2023, 17 people were arrested among a crowd of about 9000 revellers, mostly for disorder and trespass offences.

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.