Hastings Mayor Gathers Community Leaders After Flaxmere Fight

Hastings Mayor, Lawrence Yule has called an urgent meeting to discuss an incident at Flaxmere Skate Bowl yesterday after school.

Around 200 students gathered to watch a fight between a number of boys and a large team of police were called to break up the brawl.

A constable was injured while the students were being dispersed and seven students, aged between 13 and 15-years-old, were arrested.

Initial investigations show students were from Flaxmere College and Hastings Boys’ High School.

Mayor Yule has asked the principals of both schools to attend this morning’s meeting, as well as Flaxmere councillors Keriana Poulain and Henare O’Keefe, WINZ East Coast Commissioner Lindsay Scott, Inspector Kevin Kalff, Hastings Police and representatives from the Hastings offices of local MP’s Rick Barker and Craig Foss.

Mayor Yule says it’s frustrating to see an incident like this occur when so much is being done to curb violence in the Hastings suburb.