This composite image of the boy racer-sparked chaos in Levin last night shows police responding in riot gear (left) and crowds watching burnouts and skids.
This composite image of the boy racer-sparked chaos in Levin last night shows police responding in riot gear (left) and crowds watching burnouts and skids.
Seven people, including two police officers, were injured during a series of boy-racer meetings near Levin and Palmerston North.
Police made 10 arrests as officers faced physical attacks from a crowd of about 1000 people.
Five bystanders were hit by cars, with one young woman suffering serious leg injuries.
Seven people, including two police officers, have been injured after a chaotic boy-racer meeting on roads around Levin and Palmerston North last night.
Five bystanders were hit by cars, including one young woman who had her legs run over.
One group poured diesel across a street intersection in Palmerston Northand set it alight as one stunned bystander filmed the street on fire next to a Mobil petrol station.
“What the f*** are they doing down there?” he can be heard saying.
Police said they made 10 arrests as officers in full riot gear faced physical attacks from the crowd of about 1000 people, who were performing and watching skids and burnouts on the streets.
“Fireworks, physical aggression and a vehicle were all used against police who were attempting to break up the gathering,” said Manawatū area prevention manager Inspector Ash Gurney.
“Two police officers received minor injuries from the fireworks [but] did not require hospitalisation.
“Five people were arrested at this location and will face Levin District Court in coming days on disorderly behaviour and driving charges.”
Footage in central Levin showed a chaotic scene with multiple instances of people nearly being struck by vehicles, with people and cars at times obscured by thick smoke.
One woman was filmed laughing as bystanders pulled her away after a near miss, another person climbed on to the outside of a car as it spun in circles, while more hung from car windows.
People could be seen holding their phones in the air to record the boy racer antics as fireworks exploded above.
Tyres could be heard popping, with bright orange sparks flying from exposed rims during long burnouts.
Several vehicles had derogatory references to police spray-painted on their exterior. In another video a person can be seen waving a Tino Rangatiratanga flag from a spinning car.
Gurney said the large group then moved to the State Highway 57/Tavistock Rd intersection, where police were again confronted with more unruly behaviour, including cars doing a number of burnouts.
A pedestrian bystander was hit by a car doing a burnout.
“People and vehicles blocking the roads delayed an ambulance getting to this person, forcing police to employ tactical options – including deploying sponge rounds to disperse the crowd – to allow it through.
“During this period, several police vehicles were damaged and had tyres slashed.”
Gurney said the crowd then moved to the intersection of SH56 and Tiakitahuna Rd.
“Further burnouts and unsafe driving took place, and four bystanders – aged 16-20 years old – were hit by cars.
“One female had both of her legs run over.
“The group were taken to Palmerston North Hospital for treatment for their injuries.”
The Police Eagle helicopter helped officers on the ground to track one of the drivers who hit the bystanders.
“The 18-year-old man was taken into custody after a lengthy foot pursuit by officers and he is due in Levin District Court on Tuesday on a range of serious charges.
“Diesel was poured on an intersection in Palmerston North city where the group set up again around 2am – numbers were estimated at around 200 by this stage.
“The crowd dispersed shortly after the diesel was set alight.”
Gurney said several other instances of single vehicles doing skids and burnouts in the Levin area were identified by officers over the next hour or so, with the Police Eagle helicopter giving officers on the ground relevant information.
“The escalation in the level of violence committed against officers at these events is incredibly reckless and will not be tolerated,” said Gurney.
“The fact that members of the public were injured should send a strong warning to people intending to take part or observe – this is dangerous and stupid behaviour, which can very easily result in multiple serious injuries or even death.
“On this occasion, given the size and unruly nature of the crowds involved, it is fortunate no other people were seriously hurt or worse, and that no police officers were seriously injured.
“Police intend to hold everyone identified as having committed an offence to account, with the Eagle helicopter proving vital in helping gather relevant information to help us follow up.
“Officers will have staff deployed from Central District and from Wellington ready to respond to any potential further activity this weekend.”
Earlier, a video posted to TikTok showed multiple cars doing burnouts, tyres squealing amid fireworks and large crowds, most waving their arms and whooping in delight – and some getting close to spinning vehicles.
“Oh my God, this is scary stuff,” said one woman.
“It’s f***** hectic, eh” said the man filming, adding at one point “the police are coming”.
Flashing red and blue lights could be seen in the video, and others later posted online that there had been “major police action” in Oxford St, which is the SH1 route through Levin.
“People with knives and hatchets, riot police out, police Eagle helicopter overhead. Police drones out too. AVOID LEVIN TOWN,” a person wrote in a post to the Traffic Updates – Horowhenua Facebook page just before 11pm.
“Hundreds of vehicles invading the town, mainly Bath and Oxford streets, Levin New World area, a few arrests have been made.”
A video posted on YouTube showed officers wearing full-length riot shields and walking in formation through the streets of central Levin.
A post on the Traffic Fox Facebook page described “hundreds of car enthusiasts, or ‘boy racers’/ little s***s converged on Levin and tried to close off the main highway doing burnouts and skids, police were prepared and stopped a lot of it”.
“Yet bottles were smashed, rubber was laid, a couple of people were arrested for carrying weapons, riot police were out in force, cars were rammed etc. Even the Police Eagle helicopter was brought down from Auckland!”
The boy racers dispersed about 11pm on to SH57 to head north and were “hanging out on the back roads out of Levin”, they wrote.
A person was taken to Palmerston North Hospital in a serious condition after an incident involving a vehicle on Wallace Rd, near Levin, at 11.50pm, a Hato Hone St John Ambulance spokeswoman said.
NZTA warned motorists at the time to expect delays because of an incident on SH57 Kōputaroa near the intersection of Wallace Rd, which is about 6km north of Levin.
Ambulance crews were also sent to an incident involving a vehicle further north on Tiakitahuna Rd (SH56) an hour later, but no patient was found at the scene, the Hato Hone St John spokeswoman said.
The Herald was not able to immediately confirm with emergency responders whether the incidents were related to the earlier disorder in Levin.
Community response
A late-night caller to Newstalk ZB said they could hear a helicopter “buzzing round”.
“I’m 2km away and [the] smell from boy racers’ cars is shocking. Some racing down other streets also.”
Another Levin caller, Bianca, described the behaviour as “disgusting”.
“People should feel safe in their own town. I don’t think [the boy racers] will care if someone is killed. I really don’t think they care.”
Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden said he understood the “concern and disruption that last night’s unlawful gathering” caused residents.
“This behaviour has no place in our communities.”
He acknowledged the “significant planning and swift response” of police and other emergency services “to keep our people and our roads safe”.
“Their work helped prevent a repeat of last year’s dangerous and unacceptable events.
“We stand with our community in calling for respectful behaviour and will continue to work alongside police to support efforts that deter and address this kind of activity.”
Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden says he hopes police will respond strongly to a planned boy racer meet in Levin this weekend.
Boy racers and anti-social car meet-ups “aren’t wanted in our town or in our region”, with people seriously injured by their “idiotic behaviour” at previous events, Ōtaki MP Tim Costley said.
Young people were wanted in Horowhenua and Kāpiti, but in productive jobs that add to the community rather than taking part in dangerous anti-social behaviour, Costley said.
“These people aren’t good drivers, they’re not good enough to pull off the dangerous stunts they attempt, skidding cars next to bystanders.
“They disrupt our peace, they vandalise our town, and they don’t belong here.”
He praised police for bringing the disorder to a quick end through a “well-planned and prepared police operation”.
‘Block the pigs’
The self-proclaimed car enthusiasts’ pre-planned “invasion” comes a year after another meet in Levin where a crowd of more than 200 people turned violent, hurling projectiles at police, injuring two officers.
A meet “in memory” of last year’s was “sad to see”.
Wanden’s hope for a strong police response was at odds with the attitude of the organiser of last year’s meet, who had a blunt response to Police Minister Mark Mitchell’s then-threats of tougher laws, going on TV and telling the minister to “get f***ed”.
The anonymous organiser also vowed on 1 News to invade Levin again.
Two police officers were injured after they were pelted with rocks, bottles and bricks while responding to a boy racer meet-up in Levin on June 1 last year. Photo / New Zealand Police
Police were ready to respond with “proactive enforcement” this weekend, Mitchell said yesterday.
“Police do an outstanding job at disrupting these events. This Government has zero tolerance for the reckless behaviour and disruption boy racers inflict on our communities ... we’re taking action to deter and crack down on this dangerous and inconsiderate behaviour.”
Police were aware of “a number” of anti-social road-user gatherings around the country this weekend, and wouldn’t tolerate behaviour endangering others and damaging roads and property.
“Police ... have plans in place to help ensure safety for all. This activity carries huge risk for those who take part and who observe, and is concerning and distressing to members of the public.”
About 30 police officers, armed with riot shields, were on the scene where more than 200 cars and their occupants had gathered.
Attendees themselves were also injured, with at least one man getting hit by a car as it did a burnout while others set off firecrackers.
One of those arrested was allegedly found carrying a flick knife, another allegedly wearing a stab-proof vest, Police Inspector Ross Grantham said last year.
And his officers were put at serious risk by the aggressive behaviour of many involved, he said.
“This is incredibly concerning, as it indicates that the crowd was not just car enthusiasts, but included people out to deliberately provoke, aggravate and endanger.”
Skid marks left a large group of cars did burnouts during a car meet in Levin. Photo / Dallas Puha
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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