Wairoa rugby game gang brawl: Boys pull lethal weapons in violent clash

• Boys were seen brandishing lethal weapons during a gang brawl after a rugby game in Wairoa.
• At least two people were stabbed and two were run over during the violent clash.
• Police say they have identified two dozen people involved in the fight - the majority of which are gang members including the Mongrel Mob.

Footage has emerged of teenage boys flashing hatchets and a knife before two people were attacked during a post-rugby match brawl in Wairoa.

Police say at least two people were stabbed and two were run over in a fight involving members and associates of the Mongrel Mob.

Footage has emerged of three youths armed with lethal weapons during the melee.

A lifelong Wairoa resident, who wished to stay anonymous, claimed she saw the youths using their weapons to stab a woman in a car.

She estimated the boys were aged between 12 and 14.

“It’s shocking to see kids at that age doing this kind of stuff and starting this.

“It’s just unbelievable”.

A young person was seen holding a hatchet after the game between Tapuae Sports Club and YMP at War Memorial Park in Wairoa.

She said there had been a recent rise in violence and she was worried about her community.

Earlier, police revealed they would be drafting tactical squads, investigators and frontline staff from across the district into the troubled community to tackle the violence.

Acting Tairāwhiti area commander Inspector Darren Paki called the brawl “appalling” and police expected there to be multiple arrests this weekend.

“Thankfully nobody was seriously injured or killed in this event, but it is sadly another shocking event that our community didn’t need.”

A local said the boys used their weapons to stab people during the brawl.

Paki said police had identified about two dozen people, with the majority being gang members. He said this included members and associates of the Mongrel Mob.

He said they vary in age but “all of them are old enough to know what’s acceptable”.

Paki said there would be a “noticeable police presence across Wairoa to ensure that gang members are held to account.

“We are not tolerating this behaviour in our community and police will be making that message very clear to gangs over the coming days and weeks.”

A pregnant woman also caught up in the brawl said she rushed to pull her young nephews out of a vehicle, as a crowd surrounded it and smashed its windows.

She said people involved in an original brawl between teenagers tried to prevent the car from leaving, causing the car to veer into another parked vehicle and also hit a number of people.

Video footage obtained by the Herald showed a woman becoming trapped between the two vehicles.

Two dozen people involved have been identified by police, the majority of which were gang members.

Although it was not intentional, the incident sparked anger among the crowd; with several Mongrel Mob members then attacking her brother, still inside, and kicking and punching the car – despite screams that there were children inside.

The woman said her brother suffered a stab wound to one of his hands. Another brother who was outside suffered a stab wound to one of his shoulders, she said.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little told the Herald he was “absolutely disgusted” at the violence and would be urging police and the Government to go harder on gangs after the incident.

“These clowns think they can do this and it just takes all credibility away from Wairoa.”

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.