Brawl heralds Masterton gang invasion

Rival gangs have been clashing on Wairarapa streets as patched members from out of town try to establish their presence in the region, police say.

Wairarapa area commander Inspector Brent Register said patched members and associates of the Mongrel Mob had recently returned to Masterton after a long absence and had been clashing with members of the Nomads - a gang established in the region since the 1980s.

He said recently there had been several violent incidents between the two gangs, the latest being a late-night street brawl involving at least six people on Bannister St, Masterton, on Tuesday.

That incident ended with one man in hospital and another arrested, with police officers witnessing a gang member drop a hammer while leaving the scene.

He said as well as Mongrel Mob members "coming over the hill from Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Wellington", a patched member from Dunedin and an associate from Hastings had also been spotted in Masterton.

Others seen by police include members of the Rogue and Notorious chapters.

"We think that they're here to try and establish themselves," Mr Register said.

But he said police were fighting back and doing "everything we can" to drive them out.

That included monitoring the two addresses where the rival gangs were based, and stopping and questioning anyone displaying gang paraphernalia in public.

"It's about taking away their opportunities to offend," he said.

Masterton Mayor Garry Daniell said he remembered the last time gangs were causing trouble in the region, back in the 1980s.

"It was quite intimidating and we were all very appreciative of the police's efforts, particularly of Luther Toloa, in ensuring that these elements went from the region." He said he would back national legislation to ban gang patches from public places but a local bylaw was not practical.

Mr Register said June's large undercover operation, dubbed Operation Hunter, had put a huge dent in the Nomads' Wairarapa support base, creating a vacuum the Mongrel Mob were trying to exploit.

He said everyone in the Wairarapa had the right to feel safe.

"The general public is not in any danger from the gangs, but it's just that perception," Mr Register said.