The arrests of two men after a violent brawl in a Tauranga public toilet yesterday was the latest incident at what nearby businesses say is a "cruising" spot for gay men.
Police were called shortly after midday to the toilets opposite Harrison's Gallery in 11th Ave, where two men had reportedly
been fighting for 10 minutes.
Tauranga Police senior sergeant Glenn Saunders said a 33-year-old Tauranga man was charged with assault and the other, a 27-year-old from Tauranga, was charged with disorderly behaviour.
Two staff members at a nearby business, who asked not to be named, phoned the police after hearing the commotion.
One of the staff members said one of the men was screaming for the other to stop during the fracas, which she said lasted about 10 minutes.
"One of them was beating up the other guy. He was outside the toilets once or twice but the other guy kept dragging him back in."
There was blood on the man's face and singlet when the police arrived, she said.
The staff member said it was the third or fourth time they had been forced to phone police about troublesome activity at the toilets.
The toilets was known locally as a cruising spot for gay men, she said.
When the Bay of Plenty Times inspected the toilets the floor was littered with empty bags, chip packets, lollipops, clothing and a wine box.
The staff member said one person had also frequently been seen sniffing glue there and she also believed it was used as a makeshift brothel for prostitutes, but yesterday was the first time she had seen fighting.
"I don't like it. It makes me feel uncomfortable. It looks really gross and our customers don't like seeing it," she said.
A staff member of another nearby business said the "general understanding" was that the toilets were a pick-up spot.
"I get there at 5am ... and there's always people hanging around. I've never seen any fighting or lewd behaviour there, but in saying that I wouldn't use [the toilets] either."
Tauranga City Council project manager Scott McCauley said the council moved six months ago to lock the toilets at 9.30pm after reports about the problems.
