Source: Radio New Zealand
Police are investigating at least five assaults across Auckland over a one month-period. RNZ / REECE BAKER
Police are investigating at least five assaults across Auckland over a month-period, all involving teenage offenders and victims – with a couple that were filmed and circulated online.
Some of the attacks happened in public places where a group of young people reportedly targeted a single victim.
Police said while there was no immediate data to suggest an increase in this type of offending, they were concerned.
“We are aware of footage circulating online of at least two recent incidents in different parts of Auckland,” said Inspector Jacqui Whittaker.
“These videos certainly amplify the impact of this violence and can make it feel more prevalent to the wider community.”
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In mid-March, a group of teenagers assaulted another teenager at a beach in Devonport.
Police said they had spoken to three young people – one had been referred to Youth Aid Services and another two would appear in youth court later this month, charged with assault with intent to injure.
They were still working to identify others involved.
Police said the incident was filmed and uploaded to social media.
“We have always encouraged people not to share these videos wider, potentially removing any notoriety that might be associated with it,” Whittaker said.
Last week, police received a report of a group of young people assaulting another young person outside an eatery on Whangaparaoa Road in Stanmore Bay.
Police said they attended at the time and spoke with a number of those present.
“Since then, Police have exhausted all lines of enquiry and at this stage the matter has been filed”.
They said they remained open to looking into new lines of enquiry should those come to light.
Meanwhile, Police were also investigating an assault in Mount Roskill on 27 March, when a teenage boy was beaten up outside his home around 11.30pm.
The boy was taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries.
RNZ understands that the teenager was lured out of his home and surprise-attacked by others who were hiding nearby.
Police said an investigation was ongoing and no arrests had been made yet.
On the same night of the Mount Roskill assault, a party in Mount Albert’s Phyllis Street turned into a violent brawl that resulted in several people injured.
Police said a car had been driven at partygoers, and there were reports of machetes being involved.
Police said the incident was filmed and also circulated online.
A 17-year-old male was arrested and had appeared in Youth Court, and police continue to seek others involved.
He has been charged with wounding, aggravated assault, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and driving without a license.
In a disorder incident in Takanini on 2 April – involving a mix of teenagers and adults – police said they were also investigating reports that suggested a vehicle was driven at a group in a dangerous manner.
One person was hospitalised with moderate injuries and two others also suffered minor injuries.
Police said a person was arrested, and later released without charge.
“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, which includes reviewing CCTV footage,” said police.
Netsafe noticing ‘staged’ videos of violent assaults
Netsafe chief online safety officer Sean Lyons. RNZ
Without referring to specific cases, Netsafe’s chief online safety officer Sean Lyons said he was aware of violent videos that look like they were made to get clicks online, that had been appearing in recent years.
Lyons said the sharing of filmed violent content had always been a problem, however whereas in the past they were mostly opportunistic filming by people who happened to be there, Lyons said he was noticing nowadays videos that appeared to be made to be shared.
“At times we see things that appear to me more synthesised if you like – so maybe more planned in their nature, and at times that can look like people are instigating a violent attack in order to record it … I can hardly believe I’m saying that, but in terms of the staged or the artificial nature of what’s going on, we certainly see that from time to time,” he said.
“There’s definitely some changing nature of what’s been going on … if anybody’s engineering this kind of thing, if it’s being seen as ‘content’, then that has to be, it’s another level of worrying,” he added.
Lyons said it was unfortunate that some people saw violence as a type of ‘content’ and felt that they could build a reputation by sharing it.
He said the videos could have broad-ranging harmful impacts – on the victims of harm and ridicule, and the potenital to trigger copycat behaviour or vigilante action.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
