The white ute being sought in relation to anti-social road user offending. Photo / NZ Police
Police have released photos of the ute that damaged a police car when it rammed into them during a Hamilton “boy-racer” event.
Three other police cars were damaged by the large crowd that police have described as “hostile and violent”.
Footage has emerged of a ute reversing at speed into the back of a police car before speeding off.
The event, dubbed the “Hamilton invasion”, encouraged car enthusiasts to gather at various locations in the Waikato city last night to drift illegally.
Inspector Neil Faulkner said police initially received reports of a “large gathering of cars” at the intersection of Horotiu Road and Great South Rd, at about 2.15am.
“Attending staff initially dispersed the crowds and the vehicles moved on to converge near the Base in Northgate.”
Faulkner said the crowd became “hostile” towards police and officers were put at “serious risk” by the crowd due to the increasingly violent behaviour.
“In one instance, a vehicle allegedly reversed at speed towards a police car, which staff were standing in front of.
Police have released images of the ute involved, along with two people they want to speak to in relation to the incident.
“The behaviour towards police was dangerous and it was fortunate that no staff or other members of the public were injured.
“Dashcam and video footage of the activity would also assist ongoing inquiries and those in possession of any footage are asked to provide that to police.”
Videos have been posted online, including one that captured the moment a white flat-deck ute rammed into the back of a police car.
The video then shows a police officer running up to the passenger side window and striking it.
The act was met with shock and cheers from the disorderly crowd as the ute sped away.
An alleged organiser of the meet-up reposted the video to social media and said he “hoped the [officers] got whiplash”.
“[They] spent the whole night man-handling people out of their cars for not having the right licence or not wearing seatbelts,” the person claimed.
Footage posted to social media showed hundreds of participants and multiple police cars and officers attempting to shut the event down.
Organisers encouraged participants to hold their ground, claiming the police could “not move them on”.
Earlier this year, police were also met with violence at a Levin boy-racer event.
In June, two police officers suffered injuries after they were pelted with rocks and bottles while attending the scene of a large car meet.
About 30 police officers, armed with riot shields, were on the scene where more than 200 cars and their occupants had gathered.
Attendees themselves were also injured, with at least one man getting hit by a car as it did a burnout while others set off firecrackers.
The organiser of the Levin event told 1News at Six the boy racers were “here to stay” and told Levin residents: “watch out for your intersections because we’re coming back”.
At the time, Police Minister Mark Mitchell said he planned to raise the possibility of introducing legislation about impounding cars with the Minister of Transport. Mitchell believed current legislation allowed seized cars to be returned after some time.
“I want to seize the vehicles and keep them,” Mitchell said.
