Senseless Student Riots In University City
Posted on 20. Sep, 2009 by Stenberg-Tendys W.L. in Society
The university city of Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand, is one of the country’s oldest cities, but now has a new notoriety, as future community leaders collect criminal records.
The usually peaceful streets have been rocked by mayhem and violence as university students challenged the local police, after the Canterbury University students’ Undie 500 car-rally hit town. The rally is organized by the Canterbury University engineering students, as a pub crawl from Christchurch to Dunedin, in cars valued under $500.
Police in riot gear faced around 600 students in North Dunedin’s Castle St student area. On the second night of rioting the students lit fires and pelted the police with bottles and bricks. Police used pepper spray to subdue and disperse the crowd. Approximately 80 students were arrested over two nights of rioting. 68 have been charged.
Sergeant Matt Scoles of the Dunedin police said about 80% of those arrested were students from Otago University, yet the Otago University is pointing the finger at the Canterbury students. “These deplorable events would not have occurred if the Canterbury students had not gone ahead with their unwanted rally,” said Professor David Skeggs, University of Otago vice-chancellor.
The charges included disorderly behavior, breaching a temporary liquor ban, willfully setting fire to property and obstruction. “One young student decided he would leap across the fire and he didn’t make it. His hair was singed to the scalp. He’s got serious burns to his upper body and torso,” says Inspector Dave Campbell, Dunedin Police Area Commander.
Organizers asked for a closed venue-based event on Saturday, but those plans fell over. Apparently no venues were available, leaving the students on the streets. Students believed planned events would contain the behaviour and put a different vibe on the whole weekend.
Last year the official event was cancelled, yet still there were alcohol-fuelled riots and over 30 arrests. A rogue event ended in chaos.
This was the fourth year in a row where there has been trouble during the Undie 500. Carl Shrimpton, president of the rally organizers said, he believed the problems were caused by Otago students, rather than Undie 500 participants. “It was more a symbol of an underlying culture down here that’s not for us to repair.”
“These hooligans have really damaged Dunedin’s reputation,” says the Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin. Shrimpton rejected calls by Chin and Dunedin North MP, Pete Hodgson, to ban the Undi 500 Charity drive. “The event would go underground and that’s something that needs to be considered seriously,” Shirmpton said.
