Bottles thrown at police confronting boy racers in Hutt Valley, Wellington

By RNZ

Police officers in the Hutt Valley had bottles thrown at them while confronting boy racers and bystanders on Friday night.

The officers had to form lines - on Eastern Hutt Road in Taitā - with shields and helmets to force the crowd of 80 back into their vehicles and through a checkpoint.

Police intercepting a boy-racer meet of 100 vehicles at Kmart in Petone. Photo / RNZ / NZ Police

Hutt Valley area commander Inspector Wade Jennings said police also intercepted a boy-racer meet in Porirua, and about 100 vehicles at Kmart in Petone.

“We know the public and certainly police won’t tolerate this dangerous behaviour, and participants can expect to be stopped and to face enforcement action,” he said.

The vehicle from one of the gatherings that crashed through a metal barrier onto railways off State Highway 2. Photo / RNZ / NZ Police

Jennings said a vehicle at one of the gatherings later crashed through a metal barrier onto railways off State Highway 2.

“Incredibly, the two occupants were not seriously hurt,” he said.

Nearly 80 infringement notices were issued and 21 vehicles were ordered off the road.

– RNZ