Napier police have moved quickly to ease gang tensions in the city after two violent clashes in as many days.
Detectives had made contact with the Mongrel Mob and Black Power gangs in the wake of yesterday's bloody clash in the city.
"We located the vehicle involved and have identified all those involved and anticipate making arrests," acting CIB chief detective sergeant Nick Reid said today as witnesses were sought.
Of concern to police was that the gangs had staged the second clash in a busy main street.
One youngster who had been with his mother was seen to be in tears after witnessing the gang members fighting with hammers and golf clubs, while a young shop assistant was left trembling with fright.
"This is not the sort of thing we want going on in this town at any time, and certainly not in the centre of it," Mr Reid said.
Mayor Alan Dick also expressed his alarm and cited a reduction in Napier police numbers during the past five years as an example of how the region had been let down by the Government.
He said the community and the council had done its part through funding the Safer Community Council, security patrols, the imminent public consultation on inner city security-camera funding and the development of a local body bill to curb liquor consumption on city streets.
"We're doing our bit to help the police — now it's up to central Government to do its bit," Mr Dick said.
"It just isn't doing anything."
He said places like Napier had suffered as police numbers were stripped to "feed" Auckland. Five years ago there were 120 frontline police in Napier. Today the figure was around 90.
It is understood the conflict may have escalated from incidents involving younger members, or prospects, of both gangs some days ago.
When members of the two gangs came together in the foyer of the Napier Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon Mongrel Mob members evidently took the opportunity to get one up in the on-going niggling.
Mr Reid said a major concern was that when gangs squared off in public places innocent bystanders could be seriously hurt.
He said police were also very aware a big weekend in Napier was coming up, with large numbers of tourists expected.
A violent gang clash was hardly the image Napier wanted to be associated with. Past experience had shown that neither gang would be content to let the matter rest.
"They tend to just keep pick, pick, picking away at each other," Sergeant Fred van Duuren, who attended the incident, said.
Yesterday's clash appeared to be in retaliation for the beating of a Black Power member in the court foyer the previous afternoon.
Police said the Black Power "lost" that confrontation and appeared anxious to settle the score.
"This was round two," Mr van Duuren said. "Now it's one-all because the Mob guy came off worst yesterday."
In past skirmishes the gangs had appeared reluctant to settle for "a draw", he said.
Often tensions were eased by the work of a police officer who acted as a liaison for the gangs.
However, it is understood that officer had been heavily tied up on prosecution file work, with staffing levels not sufficient to allow for a full-time gang liaison-intelligence officer or team.
- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY
Violent gang brawl resumes on street
Napier police move to ease gang tensions
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