The video also shows a woman carrying a baby walking towards the melee before someone took the baby from her.
Kyle Te Kani, who took the video and posted it on social media, said scared children were in cars screaming, while members of the public quickly packed up their belongings and left.
Te Kani said he posted the video so that those involved and their families could see the bad behaviour.
“The main purpose of the video was to post it up and get them to sort it out so their own families could see it and rein them and say ‘come on whānau, we need to have a wananga here and you need to learn how to act’.”
Te Kani, who was at the lake with his family, said the fight started with raised voices, which he heard just as he was getting out of the water.
He said it appeared a group he had been sitting beside were upset over an adult and child apparently harming ducks.
Te Kani said the group appeared concerned no one was telling the child to stop.
“As soon as they got called out, they went on the defensive.”
Te Kani said there were children aged under 4 in a ute who were “f***ing terrified” and screaming.
The Lake Ōkāreka boat ramp. Photo / File
“My missus went over to them to try and calm them down and gave them some watermelon.”
He estimated the fight lasted five to 10 minutes.
He said those involved appeared to be shouting gang slogans from the Mongrel Mob and Black Power.
A public post to social media on Monday morning defended the actions of one group and said the child was not trying to hurt the ducks.
The online posts have sparked hundreds of comments, including from members of the public calling for people to behave properly when they are in public spaces with children.
A police spokeswoman said police attendance resolved the matter and no one was arrested.
