A four-year-old boy has been assaulted while playing in a Bay of Plenty park - simply because he was wearing a red shirt, the colour associated with the Mongrel Mob gang, say police.
The boy was playing in Whakatane's Cutler Crescent reserve last week when the gang member, thought to be in his mid 20s to early 30s, approached the child while his father's back was turned, poked him in the chest and shouted at him to remove the shirt, said Senior Sergeant Bruce Jenkins of Whakatane police.
The man then physically removed the shirt from the boy before his father could intervene.
Whakatane is known as the territory of the Black Power gang, which is associated with blue-coloured clothing.
The boy's parents, who were shocked by the incident, declined to comment, but Mr Jenkins said police were treating it very seriously.
"We are very concerned about the age of the victim in this incident. That someone is picking on a kid in this manner is very worrying and we are looking to hold them to account for their actions.
"I think this offender is despicable and the police are intent on finding out who is responsible."
The man was described as a male Maori, clean shaven with black short hair and about 170cm tall. He was wearing a blue T-shirt with "Whakatane" in white lettering on the front, black pants and blue bandannas around his wrists and neck.
There have been a number of gang colours-related assaults in the Bay of Plenty recently.
In November last year a teenager was assaulted by a group in the carpark of the Whakatane Pak'N Save because he was wearing a red T-shirt.
In January last year Murupara 16-year-old Jordan Herewini was run down and killed outside his home by a vehicle stolen from a family member.
Mongrel Mob members from Kawerau were charged with his murder. At the time of the slaying, the boy was wearing a yellow shirt - a colour associated with the rival Tribesmen.
NZPA