Kawakawa residents upset after student attack

Friedrick Hundertwasser toilets in Kawakawa. Photo / NZ Herald

The Auckland students bashed and robbed outside Kawakawa's Hundertwasser toilets had stripped to their underwear before the attack took place.

Bizarrely, security camera footage also revealed another group - presumably taking part in the same challenge - stripping off just minutes earlier and two students pretending to urinate on the tourist icon.

While not condoning the violence meted out to the students, some Kawakawa residents feel their town has been tarred by the widely publicised attack. Until the security camera's revelations it had been seen as random and unprovoked.

The footage shows a group of at least half a dozen people dressed in superhero and cartoon character costumes arrive at the toilets about 5.40pm on September 25, strip to their waists and pose for photos. Two stand up against the wall as if urinating.

Five to 10 minutes later a second groups arrives, this time dressed in cowboy theme, and again strip to their waists. Three young women and two men pose topless as another member of the group takes a photo.

As they are putting their clothes on a young man is seen confronting them, then throwing punches at a young man clad only in his underpants.

A young woman appears and is seen taking something - a camera - and arguing with the students. The ensuing scuffles take place mostly out of frame, but other CCTV footage shows the woman push or punch a female student to the ground and kick or stomp on her head. The man and woman then leave together, taking the students' camera.

The students told police they were taking part in a "scavenger hunt" which involved photographing themselves around Northland.

Kawakawa Business and Community Association chairman Richard Duley said he did not condone the actions of the couple, but the security footage showed the visitors were "acting totally inappropriately".

"It wasn't just for a few seconds. They were in and out of the loos and clowning around for several minutes. All the time other people were trying to use the toilets."

Mr Duley said the couple had over-reacted, but if he had seen the students' behaviour he too would have intervened - albeit less drastically.

Toilet custodian Sharon Davis welcomed people having a bit of fun, or even using the loos to promote their own causes.

"But when people go to extremes and strip off almost naked, it's not painting a nice picture of our town."

Constable Jack Raitt, of Kawakawa police, said the complainants had failed to mention they were partly naked at the time of the attack, and police would be talking to them again.

But the couple's reaction was "quite a bit over the top" and police were keen to identify them.

They are described as skinny, Maori and aged 18-20. He was wearing a baggy blue T-shirt, baseball cap and jeans; she had a brown leather jacket over a pink top and jeans.

The missing camera is a Panasonic Lumix TZ7. Call the Kawakawa station on (09) 404 3150 with any information.