Police Report Low Arrests During New Year’s Celebrations in South

Police across the South of New Zealand reported a generally peaceful New Year’s celebration, with only a handful of arrests made. Nationwide, there were a total of 41 arrests, with the majority occurring outside the southern regions. In Queenstown, authorities expressed satisfaction with crowd behavior, noting just one arrest during the festivities.

The lone incident involved a 19-year-old man who was charged with wilful damage after breaking a shop window. He is scheduled to appear in the Queenstown District Court on January 5, 2024. In connection with the celebrations, police also apprehended a 29-year-old man in Wanakā for disorderly conduct and assaulting police officers.

Minimal Incidents Reported Across the Region

In Dunedin, police made two arrests. A 40-year-old man was charged with assault within a family relationship, while a 35-year-old man faced multiple charges, including breach of bail, assaulting police, and resisting arrest. Despite these incidents, officers described the crowd in the Octagon as good-natured, with no significant problems reported throughout the evening.

Further north in Christchurch, the Rolling Meadows festival experienced a few minor incidents, including trespassing and disorderly behavior. In contrast, the Twisted Frequency festival in Takaka required police intervention to evacuate approximately 100 attendees as rising river levels threatened the area, leading to localized flooding in parts of the festival site.

Overall, police expressed relief at the low levels of disorder during the New Year’s celebrations, highlighting the positive behavior of the majority of attendees. The relatively smooth events across various locations indicate a successful start to the New Year for communities in the South.