A police officer was badly cut in the head by a bottle thrown from a Pt England party that turned violent after a man and a woman began arguing outside.
The gathering, in Taurima Ave on Saturday night, was a farewell for Alom Williams, 23, who is leaving for North Queensland. But it erupted into violence about 5am yesterday.
Mr Williams said a male relative and his partner were arguing outside and the man was attacked by several people.
A brawl started, and at least one person was stabbed with a broken beer bottle.
"We heard this girl screaming. These two girls were punching this dude [his relative] and he was standing back with his hands up. Then these other guys, brothers of one of the girls, jumped in and it went from there."
Partygoers spilled on to the road and police, some in riot gear, turned up.
The officers were pelted with bottles, and one suffered a serious head gash.
They called in reinforcements, and five people were arrested for disorder offences, although the person who threw the bottle wasn't identified.
Later in the day, when the Herald visited, blood stains were on the road where glass shards remained, even after some partygoers had returned to clean up.
Neighbours spent much of the morning picking up glass from their yards.
One woman who had called 111 said it was "absolute chaos", with loud voices "cussing" and shouting.
Police said the injured officer needed medical treatment for the gash.
- Andrew Koubaridis of the New Zealand Herald
