OPINION
The police locking down a main road for a Mongrel Mob funeral procession was not just a disruption, it was a national disgrace.
The gang funeral for slain Barbarians president Steven Taiatini in Whakatāne last Wednesday showcased a disturbing lack of authority from law enforcement, allowing gang members to assert their dominance and engage in unlawful behaviour while law-abiding citizens were left waiting.
I was there as, for more than two hours, motorists found themselves trapped in a sea of vehicles after the procession — led by loud motorcycles and followed by hundreds of cars driven by patched mobsters — roared through the streets.
There was no access to or from Ōhope from Hillcrest (George St end), Pōhutukawa Ave, and Mokoroa roundabout during the tangi, and State Highway 2 and Wainui Rd were closed for a time.
The scene resembled something out of a Mad Max film, with motorcyclists doing dangerous stunts such as massive burnouts and people hanging out of vehicle windows, as well as throwing up gang salutes, and shouting obscenities.
One man, sat atop a 4x4 as it shot past, looked like he was riding a bull in a rodeo.
Funeral processions are typically calm affairs, with drivers respectfully making their way to the cemetery.
This was a circus.
The calm, sunny winter morning in the sleepy seaside town of Ōhope Beach was disrupted by the ear-splitting noise of massive motorcycles when the raucous crowd arrived.
Then from about midday to just after 2pm, Ōhope Rd was deadly quiet as police at a roadblock permitted no traffic to go through except for the odd late gangster heading to the funeral.
I believe most motorists stuck in the traffic jam would have been annoyed.
In my opinion, what makes this situation worse is that the police, instead of taking action to maintain order, actually facilitated the mayhem.
By closing off traffic, they effectively handed control of the road to the mobsters.
There was a clear double standard at play, with numerous gangsters appearing to break all sorts of laws while, from what I could see, the police did not take any immediate action.
I believe this lack of intervention sends a clear message the police are out of touch and incapable of upholding law and order when it comes to situations such as this.
Last Wednesday, the police vowed to impound vehicles, issue fines, and charge drivers in relation to behaviour during the procession. On Thursday, they said “a number of drivers and registered owners” had been identified and should expect to receive infringement notices, and in some cases, charges for their behaviour.
But it remains to be seen whether these after-the-fact measures will be enough to deter future, similar brazen displays of lawlessness.
Allowing gang members to flaunt their power and intimidate communities only emboldens their criminal activities.
The law-abiding citizens who waited patiently for the road closures to end deserve better.
They deserve to feel safe and protected by a police force that demonstrates its commitment to upholding the law.
This incident also highlights the need for stricter laws and enforcement when it comes to dealing with gangs.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and Justice Minister Kiri Allan, in Rotorua last Thursday, said new legislation aimed at cracking down on gang activity was used for the first time after the funeral procession.
Allan said the legislation allowed police to obtain an urgent warrant if there were fears of gang conflict or if any kind of criminal activity was occurring.
A police operation in Ōpōtiki last Wednesday night resulted in firearms and weapons being seized, and eight gang-related vehicles stopped and searched, resulting in charges for alleged firearms, offensive weapons and drug offending.
National has since said it would make membership of a gang an aggravating factor when it comes to court sentencings, so gang members convicted of an offence face tougher consequences for their crimes.
In announcing National’s policy, party leader Christopher Luxon said it would be an initiative to “help restore law and order”.
That’s a good move, but the way the funeral procession was allowed to take over the road shows the laws do not go far enough.
Gang convoys have long been a source of disruption and intimidation and the police and Government must take immediate action. The public’s trust in law enforcement is at stake.
Gangs should not be allowed to flex their muscles and disrupt the lives of law-abiding citizens like this.
It is time for the Government and police to show more authority and take a strong stance against this type of unlawful behaviour.
Luke Kirkness was in Whakatāne to cover the funeral procession. He is an assistant news director for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post covering general news. He previously worked at the NZ Herald for three years, mainly as a consumer affairs reporter. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019 at the Voyager Media Awards.