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Wanganui mayor Michael Laws today compared New Zealand gangs' lawlessness to violence in Zimbabwe and said if necessary the army should be called in to "crush" them.
His comments come after several gang related incidents in Invercargill and Hawke's Bay last week.
Police are investigating three suspicious fires involving property belonging to rival Mongrel Mob and Road Knights gangs last week.
In Hastings, five people were hospitalised on Saturday when Mongrel Mob members armed with a machete, knives and a baseball bat rampaged through a 21st birthday party near Havelock North.
Mr Laws said gangs were "petty terrorists" which "infect the whole of New Zealand".
"...they're becoming more pervasive, more violent and more numerous. And the police seem powerless to do anything else except mop up the damage."
"There is only one way to deal with these petty terrorists. That is to outlaw gangs and provide police with the resources to crush them.
"If that involves bringing in the Army, then so be it.
"We do have anti-terrorism legislation in this country and if you simply substituted the word gang for 'terrorist organisation' then the law has already been drafted and passed by Parliament."
Mr Laws said the influence of gangs effectively created "homes away from home in prison".
"Until politicians and police headquarters grow some testes, then gangs will continue to recruit new kids, engage in organised crime and kill people.
"This is not Zimbabwe but in some parts of this country the rule of gang thugs resembles such."
He said he felt for Hastings and Invercargill, but said gangs were a nationwide problem and "their evil is everywhere".
After toddler Jhia Te Tua was shot dead amid a Mongrel Mob and Black Power confrontation in Wanganui the city was portrayed as a gang city, Mr Laws said.
"But the truth is that gangs infest and infect the whole of New Zealand."
- NZPA
