Police bust Auckland Viaduct balcony party, pepper spray used

Police using riot shields and pepper spray have broken up a party on the balcony of an apartment on Auckland’s Viaduct.

Witnesses say revellers were yelling gang references and some jumped from the balcony at Shed 20, Princes Wharf Apartments on Quay St, into a carpark to try to evade police.

Police said at about 7.20pm they received a report of drinks being thrown off the balcony. When they arrived, a fight involving multiple people broke out, resulting in several being taken into custody.

Some involved in the fight received treatment for injuries.

Police form a line outside Princes Wharf Apartments after a party got out of hand. Photo / David Williams

Glass at the entrance to the apartments was smashed.

A woman at the scene told Newstalk ZB a group of people were screaming at about 50 police officers from the balcony.

She said five or six of men came down a lift and ran out of the entrance, straight at police officers.

”That’s when I heard glass smash and tear gas or pepper spray go off.

Broken glass near where a party was broken up by police. Photo / David Williams

”A man who was just a bystander was screaming at police saying he had been pepper sprayed for no reason and his eyes were really swollen and red.”

She said about five or six people were sitting outside Shed 20, some bloodied and in handcuffs.

The woman said about 15 police officers had made a barricade around the building so no one could come in and out.

Another witness said the incident started just after 6,30pm. He said police initially came to move the group from drinking outside.

Police stopped people from entering or leaving an apartment block after a disturbance at Shed 20 on Princes Wharf, Quay St. Photo / David Williams

”The police came back after they started throwing bottles and making noise.”

The fight happened when the police were on site.

One woman wanting to get back into the building was told by police to park her car but she would have to wait until she could return. She was not told what was happening.

Another witness said she came home to see just one squad car. It was soon joined by about 15. She saw eight people being arrested.

“The people who were being arrested were shouting a lot of gang references, like Comancheros.”