Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour was the scene of a mass brawl on a boat this evening, with police waiting on the city’s docks to make arrests when the men arrived ashore.
It is understood a person on a charter boat phoned police to report that fighting had broken out on board the vessel.
Dramatic video footage captured the police response.
Five police cars and a large van were waiting on the viaduct just after 5pm, and at least 13 police officers were on the scene.
The area – usually busy with tourists and seafarers – was nearly deserted the police officers lay in wait for the boat to dock at the Eastern Viaduct, west of Quay St.
The officers stood ready under a shelter near the Explore Auckland cruise anchorage until the pleasure cruisers had docked – then they sprung into action.
One column of officers stood guard while others wrestled a man to the ground, subdued him then marched him to the police van, bowed over with his arms cuffed behind his back.
The man was then put in a police van amid heavy rain.
The officers then dispersed around the area on foot, walking towards Lower Hobson St and Quay St.
A police spokeswoman told the Herald a person on a commercial vessel on the harbour called police at about 4.25pm.
“We got a call ... that people on board their boat were acting disorderly and fighting,” the spokeswoman said.
“Police met the boat at the Viaduct and took one person into custody for disorderly behaviour.”
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
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