Ambulance workers in the heart of Hamilton city have been ordered to don stab-proof vests on their jobs today, following reports of a scheduled gang scrap.
The 鈥淏attle of the Hoods鈥, announced through an online flyer circulated on social media, is scheduled to take place on Friday at 3pm near the Hamilton Transport Centre.
In its description littered with grammar and spelling errors, the flyer tells members to meet at the depot before continuing the fight 鈥渁round town鈥.
鈥淲eapons aloud鈥, the flyer reads as well as telling members to meet at Enderley Park on Saturday if police spoil their party.
The Herald understands the scrap is set to involve students attending different schools and it鈥檚 been described as those informed about the fight as a 鈥渟chools versus schools鈥 affair.
It鈥檚 understood those involved in the rival 鈥榟oods鈥 have a private Instagram account, where videos are posted of their fights.
The fight has put the city on edge, with a local intermediate school sending an urgent message to parents warning them of the scrap.
The poster for "Battle of the Hoods" circulating on social media. Photo / Supplied
鈥淒ue to the possibility of an advertised fight event, the police have advised as a precautionary measure that alternative transport arrangements are made for your child on this day and to avoid going into the city centre,鈥 the message read.
The St John Ambulance service confirmed to the聽贬别谤补濒诲听all ambulance staff working within Hamilton City boundaries have been issued lightweight tactical vests 鈥渋n light of the event this afternoon鈥.
The vests are designed to provide stab, slash and light ballistic protection, to offer 鈥渁n additional layer of protection鈥 to staff in the rare instance it鈥檚 called for.
A spokesperson for St John said safety is paramount for their staff.
鈥淲e are not prepared to put our staff at risk in situations that may prove dangerous, so have issued the vests as a precautionary measure,鈥 the spokesperson said.
鈥淥ur people will not enter scenes until deemed safe to do so by [Police] and we are working closely with our colleagues at NZ Police.鈥
According to police, there has been no action taken since the flyer reached the public domain - however, they have urged locals to not come into the city to watch the scrap.
鈥淭here is the potential you may put yourself in harm鈥檚 way,鈥 a police spokesperson said.
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate told the聽贬别谤补濒诲听on Thursday she was 鈥渟hocked and disgusted鈥 to hear about the organised fight and called the poster 鈥渋ncredibly confronting鈥.
The Hamilton Transport Centre is the reported location of where the scrap is to be held. Photo / Supplied
鈥淲hat was really of concern to me is that it was a neighbourhood versus neighbourhood. That鈥檚 just tragically sad for our city that people would want three neighbourhoods to come together and harm each other,鈥 she said.
Southgate didn鈥檛 believe it was connected to any notorious New Zealand gangs and didn鈥檛 know if it were youths organising the brawl.
The mayor, along with Hamilton Council, have been in contact with police, city safe and other agencies.
City Safe unit manager Kelvin Powell said the council鈥檚 City Safe team is 鈥渓iaising closely with police鈥.
鈥淲e are taking steps to make sure our staff on the ground are kept safe, and others should avoid both areas at the proposed times,鈥 Powell said.
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