Police clear public out of Mission Bay and Selwyn Reserve in Auckland. Video / Supplied
An Auckland councillor is calling for calm as reports emerge of another mass youth fight being organised for this Friday.
Last Friday, as many as 100 students from various high schools took part in a massive, alcohol-fuelled brawl at Mission Bay.
Witnesses reported students in school uniforms smashing bottles overother students' heads. On student was even kicked as they lay on the ground unconscious.
A screenshot of an Instagram story promoting another mass fight this Friday. Identifying details and the location has been blacked out by the Herald. Image / Supplied
A witness to the mass gathering said he'd "never seen anything like it".
About 40 police officers eventually broke up the fight using pepper spray and in the end eight youths were arrested.
Several witnesses told the Herald it was the second fight organised in the area over the past month, with messages promoting the scraps shared through Instagram stories.
The social media function allows users to share visual content up to 15 seconds long with their followers, and which lasts 24 hours before it disappears. People can still take screenshots though and share those images.
Now it has emerged similar messages are being circulated on social media about another fight planned for an inner-city bay this Friday.
"Fight like there's no tomorrow," the image reads.
"No snitching."
The post included further details including the location, which the Herald has chosen not to publish.
A screenshot of an Instagram story promoting another mass fight this Friday. Identifying details and the location has been blacked out by the Herald. Image / Supplied
A police spokeswoman said they were aware of the plans and were planning accordingly.
"Police are not in a position to comment specifically on those plans at this stage for operational reasons," she said.
A student who attended last Friday's brawl said it was meant to be a gathering of students from all over the city to celebrate the end of exams.
Instead, students started drinking copious amounts of alcohol as an "atmosphere of violence" grew.
"Among all this chaos were repeated gang and school gestures, commentary such as: 'We gonna f*** your school up'," one student told the Herald.
"Westside", "southside" and various school references were heard.
Those taking part in the fights were reportedly in uniforms from schools in parts of south and west Auckland, although the Herald has been unable to confirm this.
Manukau councillor Alf Filipaina told the Herald he hadn't heard anything about the latest round, but urged youths to "stay away".
"Think about your study leave, think about your future, your family. Don't be silly, one little mistake and you could end up in jail."
Police clear the public out of Mission Bay and Selwyn Reserve in Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Filipaina said it was a select group who were involved.
"The call goes out on social media, they start drinking, and lo and behold we have a brawl.
"They get all macho and get mixed up trying to defend their school.
"But they are not, they are actually bringing shame on them."
Filipaina also urged parents to check in with their children to make sure they were not getting caught up in the hype.
"Especially those who know their sons or daughters were at Mission Bay last Friday."
Police at Mission Bay. Photo / Supplied
A witness to last Friday's gathering, Francis Mann, a builder working nearby, said he made numerous reports to police about dodgy behaviour from the teenagers long before the brawl started.
It was the second mass fight in the area in the past few weeks, he said.
Mann also contacted several Auckland high schools to alert them of their students' behaviour.
School staff reportedly told him it was not their responsibility, despite many being dressed in uniform, as the students were not at school.
Responding to the accusations, Inspector Shawn Rutene said police were actively monitoring the young people at Mission Bay beach for a number of hours before fighting broke out.
The implicated schools have not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Eight youths were arrested last Friday, including one for assault. One person was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
