Happy Year of Alcohol: Most Alcohol-Related New Year’s Eve Arrests

Dozens of people were arrested overnight as the New Year landed in New Zealand, and police say most of the incarcerations were alcohol-related.

In general, police said they were happy with the behavior of revelers across the country and the presence of officers in main areas focused on prevention and ensuring revelers were kept safe.

“The police attended some riot work involving large concentrations of young people, arrests that were made mainly related to alcohol and disorder,” said a spokesman.

Twenty-two people were arrested throughout Whangamatā as a result of an incident in Williamson Park and other “hot spots” of disorder in the town of Coromandel.

About $ 6,000 worth of stock was stolen from a local café, and the Herald understands there are fears that the roof is so damaged that it will have to be replaced after multiple teenagers climbed on it.

The mutinous youths threw bottles at the police, who armed themselves with shields and batons.

“There was this roar of drunken children out of control and no music,” said Auckland vacationer Jane Phare.

“There was a huge crowd of drunk teenagers who had climbed onto the roof. They were throwing bottles at the police, there were bottles flying everywhere, crashing to the ground.

“The road was littered with broken glass and the police were trying to keep young people arriving away from the collapsing bottles. The police were telling us to stay behind.

“The riot police with shields and batons arrived at the club and they all dispersed.”

Police said in Auckland there were 16 arrests in the CBD.

“These were primarily related to alcohol-related incidents and disorders,” the spokesperson said.

“Police attended a mess job in Mission Bay involving youth, two people were arrested.”

No major issues were reported at the celebrations on Mt Maunganui despite large crowds.

In Wellington, the New Year’s celebrations generally went well.

The police attended a riot work in the CBD where five people were arrested.

In Wanaka there were five arrests, most of them for disorder.

There were multiple violations of the alcoholic beverage ban and disorder warnings.

“The police would like to thank those who responsibly enjoyed the New Year celebrations,” the spokesperson said.