“The six involved were located by police and taken into custody.”
Police understand the group assaulted another youth that they knew, and a member of the public who tried to intervene.
“The good Samaritan sustained bruising from the incident and was transported to hospital for assessment and the young person did not require medical treatment.”
A witness at the scene said she saw a distressed young woman with blood all over her face after the incident. Members of the public tried to comfort the woman but she insisted she did not need help.
One of the people arrested was yelling as police manoeuvred them into the back of a car.
City buses were disrupted for about five minutes as police cars were blocking both lanes on Manners St opposite Te Aro Park.
Five young people, aged between 14 to 16 and a 21-year-old are due to appear before the Wellington Youth and District Court today. One youth has been released from custody.
Their charges relate to assault, resisting arrest and injuring with intent.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is encouraged to contact police on 105 and quote event number P056589137.
It is not the first time violence and anti-social behaviour has broken out in the Te Aro Park area.
The spot, in Wellington’s entertainment district, has been the location of a number of brawls and assaults over recent years, including one fight in which a man suffered injuries that caused him to lose his eye.
The 11-second scuffle ended with the victim being stabbed in his right eye, which he eventually had to have surgically removed.
In 2021 a brutal brawl was caught on camera, with a group of people seen swinging punches at each other. When police arrived, members of group turned on officers, trying to prevent them from making arrests.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 10 years.
