A Dunedin man suffered serious facial and head injuries from a violent attack in the centre city yesterday.
Detective Sergeant Rob Hanna said the incident occurred about 1am yesterday in a car park off Rattray St, near Queens Gardens.
The 30-year-old is in Dunedin Hospital but his injuries are not life-threatening.
It appears up to 20 people, one allegedly carrying a machete or similar weapon, were involved.
They left the area in four vehicles, shortly after the assault.
"At this stage we do not know what started this altercation.
"However, once the victim has fallen on the ground it appears he has been set upon by numerous people and kicked in the head and body ...
"There were a large number of people in the area when this happened and we would like those people to contact us, so we can establish what they witnessed," he said.
In other incidents, a 19-year-old man was arrested after he allegedly threatened people with a wheel brace, and two others were charged with drink-driving with alcohol levels several times the legal limit.
Senior Sergeant Mel Aitken said a man who was a passenger in a car racing another along Old Brighton Rd, Fairfield, about 5pm on Saturday night, leaned out of the car and threatened the occupants of the other vehicle with the brace.
He will appear in the Dunedin District Court this week.
An 18-year-old stopped by police on Chambers St, Northeast Valley, about 3.50am was found to have an open beer in his car's drink holder, she said. Despite saying he had not been drinking, he returned a breath-alcohol reading of 655mcg. The legal limit for drivers under 20 is 150mcg.
A 42-year-old man was arrested in Moray Pl at 2.25am yesterday morning with a breath-alcohol level of 1202mcg, three times the legal limit.
After rostering extra officers and a tactical unit on duty on Friday night after the Super 15 rugby match between the Highlanders and the Blues, police were left surprised and full of praise for revellers' behaviour.
It appeared many of the 12,000 fans may have simply headed home after the final whistle, to watch the Royal wedding on television, Snr Sgt Aitken said.
"It was very, very quiet [for police] ... It might be that people might have watched the rugby and then gone home to watch the wedding. They might not have stayed in town."
Snr Sgt Aitken said the good behaviour was "unbelievable" and "very, very impressive".
The only arrest for disorderly behaviour was made in the central city about 2.30am on Saturday. The man received a pre-charge warning and would not appear in court, she said.
