Police from around the Mid North descended on Kawakawa after two officers were surrounded by a hostile mob threatening violence yesterday.
Sergeant Kevin Milne, of Kawakawa police, said the incident began when he and Constable Meagan Lyle spoke to a boy about riding his bicycle on the footpath at about 12.30pm on Friday. The boy got off the bike as requested but his father, who was intoxicated, objected. Later the officers saw the boy back on his bike, spoke to him again, and his father became even more abusive.
Mr Milne said they had to act so arrested the father. They were immediately surrounded by the man's associates, who made it clear they would "do whatever it took" to stop them. One allegedly picked up a sandwich board and was about to throw it at the officers. He said he used pepper spray to keep the group at a distance and called for back-up, which arrived quickly and in numbers.
Two adults and two juveniles were arrested. A Moerewa man aged 51 was charged with disorderly behaviour and aggravated assault on a police officer after spitting in an officer's face. A Moerewa woman, 38, was charged with disorder and threatening to kill. One 15-year-old boy was charged with assault on police and threatening to kill, while the other was released without charge.
