Police forced to retreat from Taranaki car meet crowd after attendees turn hostile

A police car was forced to retreat after a crowd at a Taranaki car meet turned hostile.

In a video posted on YouTube, a police car could be seen parked on the side of the road when a group approached it.

Initially, only two people stood by the police car but the crowd eventually grew to roughly 24.

The driver of the police car then decides to reverse away from the growing crowd, with some chasing it as others wave it away.

Eventually, the attendees run back to the meet, where a car can be seen doing a burnout in the background of the video.

Police said officers were notified at about 1am of a group of “antisocial” road users gathering at Kina Rd in Ōaonui.

Attendees at a Taranaki car meet turned on police, forcing them to retreat.

“Staff attended and spoke to some of those gathered.

“Due to the hostile nature of the group, it was determined that the safest course of action was to monitor the meet from nearby and gather information.”

Police said they were making follow-up inquiries.

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