A concerned parent talks about recent fights at Rosehill College in Papakura. / Video by Greg Bowker
Rosehill College students are filing in to school for the last day of the week with one notable change at the entrance to the school, two security guards.
The Herald has confirmed the security guards are not common place at the school.
It appears to be a routine day asparents and caregivers drop off students and others walk in the rain to school.
Police also plan to have a strong presence at Rosehill College this morning in response to fears from students and parents after violent brawls at the school yesterday.
Around 150 people were allegedly involved in a fight at the South Auckland high school on Thursday afternoon with sickening footage of the violent brawl circulating on social media.
The fight broke out about 2pm. There are claims it involved both students and parents.
Video footage posted on Facebook shows a large group of students in uniform attacking each other with punches and kicks.
Inspector Tony Wakelin told the Herald police were aware of safety concerns from students and parents and police would be present at the school as a precautionary measure.
Security guards outside the entrance of Rosehill College in Papakura, Auckland, this morning. Photo / Greg Bowker
Police were making inquiries into Thursday's incidents at the school and Wakelin said it was too early to comment on the circumstances.
"We appreciate there are a number of different reports around what happened at the school and that is why we are looking further into the matter to establish any person's potential involvement," he said.
A parent of a student at the college who is too scared to send his daughter back to class today told the Herald the fight was believed to be in retaliation to another fight between two male students on Wednesday.
Police are maintaining a presence outside the school after the brawl on Thursday. Photo / Greg Bowker
"There was a big fight yesterday and one kid in particular got bashed over, then his parents came down with weapons to the school today, basically as retribution I am guessing."
Two students from the school also reported that the parents were from rival gangs, believed to be the Mongrel Mob and Black Power.
"More than 150 people were fighting. It spilled out from the field on to the court. The field at Rosehill is quite large and it was overflowing," the student said.
A group who anonymously messaged the Herald are calling for the school to take action and undertake a "serious investigation".
"In the light of recent events we as Rosehill students and teachers, demand action by the school and board of trustees. To undertake a serious investigation into the punishments for students who create an unsafe learning environment for others.
"We believe the current system in place is not strong enough and leading to a decline in pride and mana within the Rosehill College name. This must be sorted as soon as possible before any repeated actions take place.
"If this is not taken seriously we will know the students wellbeing and ability to strive for excellence is not taken seriously," they wrote.
An anonymous student said he was locked in the nurse's office when the incident occurred.
"There were kids crying and having panic attacks and afterwards people were coming in with blood on their shirts and stuff."
He said there were people with broken noses, hands and some suffering from concussion, though a St John ambulance spokesman told the Herald he had no record of a callout to the school.
One parent said the school was in lockdown for about half an hour.
"The students got told to go to the nearest class and stay there.
"My daughter messaged me on Facebook messenger and said, 'Dad we are in lockdown at the school'.
"She sent me a video of cops walking around in the schoolyard and said there had been lots of fights," he said.
"Once I knew the cops were there and they were in the class I wasn't so worried but it's probably not the best situation you want your kids in."
The parent said he would be keeping his daughter home from school tomorrow.
"I guess until it has all calmed down and is all sorted and I am happy that it is a safe place for her to go, I probably wouldn't want to put her into that situation again."
Rosehill College principal Sue Blakely said in a statement sent to parents and caregivers the school went into lockdown "as a precautionary measure".
"We went into lockdown and called for police assistance when we had some unauthorised persons on site at lunchtime. The police were satisfied there was no further concern."
Wakelin said that anyone with information could contact the Papakura Police on 09 261 1300, or send them a private message via the Counties Manukau Police Facebook page.
Papakura-Manurewa councillor Daniel Newman said the brawl was a real shock and out of character for the secondary school, saying he planned to head down to the school today.
He said Rosehill, one of two secondary school in Papakura, was a popular school of choice for parents that set very high academic standards. Among its former pupils is All Black captain Kieran Read.
"Rosehill College has never been a school you would associate with disfunction, but with ambition, determination and success," said Newman, a former student from Papakura College and a member of that school's board of trustees.
Students at Rosehill, he said, come from a mixed area reflecting some of the best families and one or two of the worst. The school roll is high and growing.
He said principal Sue Blakely is a person who drives high standards for the students and doing a really good job.
