A man who was pushed by a bully who also attacked a teen skateboarder during a popular Auckland skateboard competition yesterday says he got involved because "everyone hates a bully".
In a video which has gone viral on the internet today, Leighton Smith is seen confronting a bully who is seen pushing a teenager off his skate board as he was apparently getting in the way of 'The Skinny & Serenity National Grom Skate Comp'.
The bully is thought to be one of the event organisers.
Mr Smith said the boy who was wiped off his skateboard looked to be about 13-years-old and Mr Smith, 38, estimated he would weigh about 45kg.
Mr Smith did not plan to lay a complaint over being shoved, saying he just wanted the skate park back to normal.
He did not know if the boy's parents planned to lodge a police complaint but said he would if it was his child.
The competition took place yesterday afternoon and was aimed at children as young as 6-years-old.
Mr Smith said he had been involved in skating both here and in Britain for more than 20 years.
Meanwhile police have revealed that a member of the public, who attended the event with his family, said the sponsor's representatives were verbally abusing children at the park while telling them to vacate the ramps at or near the skate park.
Another man later called police to complain of being assaulted by a security guard at the event.
In addition to the altercation, there are claims youngsters in the competition were also given spray cans by organisers to tag the popular skate park.
Victoria Park Skate Park was left littered with tags with the names of sponsors including well-known brands such as Cheapskates, Wild Poppies and Dick Smith.
The vandalism and video footage prompted a swift response from Auckland Mayor Len Brown this morning.
Len Brown tweeted this morning: "Very unimpressed by vandalism at Vic Park skate park & appalled by accusations of comp organisers handing out spray cans. Am investigating.''
He later posted on Facebook: "I am shocked and appalled by the antics at Vic Park Skatepark over the weekend.
"Vandalism is bad enough, but shoving kids around is quite another matter. I'm taking this very seriously. This must be a safe place for our kids."
