A large police presence at the Z petrol station on Great North Rd, Pt Chevalier. Photo / Annabel Dickson
A large police presence has swarmed a central Auckland petrol station this evening in response to a “disorder incident”.
A police spokesperson said they received reports of the incident about 6.15pm.
“Two people have been taken into custody.”
Images shared with the Herald show multiple police vehicles on the forecourt of the Z petrol station on Great North Rd in Pt Chevalier.
One image shows a man slumped on the ground while being spoken to by an officer. Another man is filming the encounter on his phone.
A witness said they were pulling into the Z station shortly after 6pm and saw a police officer, armed with what was believed to be a Taser, approaching a man.
“There was another man on the ground beside a police officer.”
When returning to the scene minutes later, the witness said they saw two men in a standoff with police officers.
“One of the men looked like they were holding something but I couldn’t make out what it was... there were around eight to 10 cop cars there,” they said.
Police said there are no reports of injuries and they are making inquiries.
Another witness told the Herald they were filling up with gas during the incident.
“I don’t know who had it, but the man on the ground and at least one of the police officers had been pepper sprayed.”
The witness said a woman ran into the petrol station to get milk to pour in the police officer’s eyes.
“While I was leaving, I saw that they had a different spray that they were putting in the policeman’s eyes, assuming to help the pain, and then to the man who was on the ground who was also pepper sprayed.”
They added when police took the other man into custody, he was “kicking and being belligerent”.
Deputy Political Editor Thomas Coughlan interviews Americans on the streets of Philadelphia ahead of next week’s election. Video / NZ Herald