An Auckland school has pulled its students out of this week's
Polyfest due to a brawl believed to have involved weapons.
Police with aerial support were called to Aorere College in
Manukau last Friday after a fight broke out on the rugby
fields.
One student was injured during the incident, believed to have
been started by five students egged on by dozens of
bystanders.
Aorere principal Patrick Drumm told Radio New Zealand the
school would not be taking part in this weekend's Polyfest
due to "security concerns".
"[It was a] very, very difficult decision for us. This would
have been our 38th year in a row as a foundation school."
Polyfest is the largest Maori and Pacific Island cultural
festival in the world. This year, 9000 students from 59
schools and 200 performing groups were expected.
About 300 Aorere College students from years 9 to 13, aged
around 13 to 17, were meant to participate, including
students in their final year of school who had been involved
in Polyfest for the past five years and would not have
another opportunity to take part.
"This has happened right at the end of a very intense five or
six weeks of practices but we felt that what happened on
Friday needed a serious response," Mr Drumm said.
It has been reported that the troublemakers had been part of
rival gangs, but Mr Drumm said there was no indication that
was the case.
The students involved were facing disciplinary action by the
school's board of trustees.
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