69 arrested in drunken Dunedin riot

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Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00a.m.

Police form a line while having bottles thrown at them on Castle Street

Police form a line while having bottles thrown at them on Castle Street

Emergency services were put under pressure in Dunedin last night with crowds of drunk students rioting in the city and clean up is still going on this morning.
 
A police spokesman said they faced 'major disorder' with a 'multitude' of fires lit and vehicles damaged.
 
Several police received minor injuries as they dodged bottles to arrest 69 people - 54 students and 15 non-students.
 
The fire service also came under attack as it dealt with more than 70 call-outs to car and rubbish fires.
 
Shift Manager Brian Sharp confirmed students were behind the trouble.
 
The disorder comes as hundreds of Canterbury University students end their colourful journey south to Dunedin in an event called the Undie 500.
 
Watch extended, uncut footage of the riot.
 
Warning: This video contains language and footage which may be offensive to some viewers.
 
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Comments

30 Aug 2007 01:16a.m.

mick, hamilton wrote:

ban this - ban that ,christ whatever you do don,t smack them . bah , its just n.z. today . leave them alone , poor wee souls .

28 Aug 2007 04:12p.m.

Adrian, Christchurch wrote:

Everyone, re-read jimay's 27th August post. Believe me, the atmosphere was more than certainly created for the mess that happened. Even Undie cars had Anti-police themes. Combine this with the 'she'll be right' NZ 'macho' binge drinking/rugby culture, and well, it was going to happen. Personally, I had a whale of a time sober driver then had a few after the drive, taxied then partied in town. If the atmosphere wasnt too tense, things went swell. If this event is banned, itll happen unofficially, like so many of the cars that particpated during this event (perhaps some of the troublemakers..?). There only needed be one actual ENSOC student to each car. So the possibility of drunken craziness by non-students was high. Its not just the students fault, think. Or do the "bunch of old prats" posting on here have less intellect than the wide and varied group of people that identify themselves as 'students' that they are dismissing out of hand..?

27 Aug 2007 04:29p.m.

Jackie wrote:

As a mother of one of the Canterbury students, can someone please tell me the legal definition of 'riot'. To me it looked like a lot of teenagers looking for a good time, with a group of individual low mentality idiots who were there for the limelight, causing criminal damage. I think the environemt created the trouble, not the drinking age. Hopefully the troublemakers will now have a criminal record.

27 Aug 2007 03:33p.m.

KaDrew!! wrote:

NO!!!! Dont raise the drinking age. If you raise the drinking age what is that going to prove. Nothing. Young teenagers age dont mean anything to them. Its just alcohol that makes you go like that. Do you think they would stop not exactly... No one can help them or stop them from drinking, but themselves. Maybe they shouldve thought about it how many years ago when they first started making alcohol. Then again they weren't like them when they were young. So why are they carring on making alcohol if its causing such a problem..

27 Aug 2007 03:18p.m.

Warren Durling wrote:

I must bring to attention the effort of the people that live on Hyde Street (where most of the footage was taken)to stop any fires and "rioting". They all pitched in for two dj's and a sound system. If there is nothing else for students to do they just burn shit and act like idiots. At around 12 am the organizers asked the crowd to stop lighting fires. Only one more fire was lite and was soon put out by students when the music was cut. The dj's played till the early hours of the morning and once the music had stopped the crowd quietly dispersed. Maybe there should be an organized free event for next year.

27 Aug 2007 12:54p.m.

Tracey wrote:

Harmless Fun, Party Hard...no one would complain if this is what you did, you were out of control and thugs, yes Shane one day you might have a well paid job thats providing you don't get a criminal record first. They have shown they can not handle their drink...raise the drinking age

27 Aug 2007 08:58a.m.

Cathy wrote:

I've already commented on this but felt I needed to again. As a CANTERBURY student I am disgusted that the wider community opinion can be swayed so easily by a few idiots who shouldn't even be at Uni. Marie from Otautahi: I was born in Canterbury but shifted a lot, only came back for university to concentrate on my studies. I have a puffer jacket, does that make me a arrogant, thoughtless, selfish, unfriendly and racist citizen? How stupid can one person be? A label on a jacket means nothing! For the 18,000 or so of us that didn't cause trouble, stop blaming the majority! I agree that the few that did cause trouble should be made responsible but don't drag the rest of us into it.

27 Aug 2007 03:14a.m.

Terrie wrote:

Everyone who was caught on camera saying it was `fun' should be put in the stocks in Dunedin's Octagon. Let the residents and ratepayers have some `fun' too. Then they, and the drunken bums who were arrested for damaging things, setting fires, and pelting our emergency services personnel should have to clean up any mess they caused - before being taken to court. They shouldn't be given any `diversion'. The drunken students caused lawlessness and such an act should reflect on their records and haunt them for the rest of their lives. Time to take responsibility for their actions and for kiwis to stop blaming alcohol for any wrong doing. As soon as you take a drink you know that your actions may be questionable.

27 Aug 2007 12:41a.m.

Nathan wrote:

If only everyone writing these comments could go back to uni age and have the time of ur life!! This was one of the most memorable times of my life :)

27 Aug 2007 12:19a.m.

Raven wrote:

I am a student in Dunedin and am appaled by the pathetic, embarassing display of our "future leaders". It may be all "harmless fun" but in reality its just plain immature. Sure its fine to party, but setting houses and cars on fire? What kind of party is that?