Police could charge man behind Facebook party

The person who set up the invite for a "Facebook party" that got out of control may be charged by police.

A young Napier man who organised a Facebook Party that went out of control over the weekend may be charged by police for holding an unlicensed event.

Thomas MacDonald, 20, allegedly organised the gathering, which attracted up to 1500 young people in the city on Saturday night.

A car belonging to a charity was also trampled on until its roof and windshield caved in on the same night.

Police allege Mr MacDonald was charging an entry fee, providing alcohol and employing security guards, claiming he may have breached liquor licensing and health and safety laws in the process.

In a warning to would-be Facebook party organisers, Hawke's Bay acting prevention manager Inspector Hirone Waretini said police took "a dim view of such events".

"Anyone organising a Facebook event has to realise that there will be consequences, both for themselves and for the community," Mr Waretini said.

"Despite Mr MacDonald claiming this was an 'invite only' event, it soon spread like wildfire and attracted hundreds of people.

"When police became aware of the party on Saturday, we visited Mr MacDonald and his associates and warned them of the potential for disaster.

"Consequently, we were alerted quite early on to the outbreak of trouble and spent several hours trying to close it down and deal with a large crowd of very drunk and violent young people."

"Anyone organising a Facebook event has to realise that there will be consequences, both for themselves and for the community,"

Between 500 and 1500 people attended the party, which ended in street brawls and damage to neighbouring properties and parked cars in the vicinity.

Officers spent almost three hours closing down and dealing with the aftermath of the party in Rutherford Rd, Marewa, he said, with 15 adults and five juveniles arrested for disorderly behaviour and assaulting police.

Mr Waretini claimed Mr MacDonald - who has previously organised Facebook parties - was charging an entry fee and providing alcohol, which "put the event into a different category where liquor licensing and health and safety laws were applicable".

"We will be looking at the possibility of liquor laws being breached in terms of allowing premises to be used for the consumption of alcohol, running an unlicensed event and other related legislation," he said.

"This is a wake-up call to anyone else thinking of organising such an event."

Police would speak to Mr MacDonald this week.

The party has already been condemned by Students Against Dangerous Driving New Zealand (Sadd) CEO Anna Braidwood, who said her organisation's car was believed to have "fallen victim" to roving youths after police closed down the party about 1.30am on Sunday morning.

Ms Braidwood said she was "gutted" to discover extensive damage to the marked car, which had been parked overnight on the verge outside her residence on Kennedy Rd.

"I was really, really disappointed. It was not a good Easter Sunday," she said.

It appeared a group of people had jumped all over the car.

"They have obviously jumped on the roof, caved it in, and jumped on the windshield and shattered that."