Students "ruffled up" by police responding to the mayhem created by the weekend's Undie 500 car rally are lucky that's all that happened to them, the cop in charge says.
For two nights, police in riot gear faced off against mobs numbering about 600 in North Dunedin's Castle Street area. Students lit fires and pelted police with bottles.
Police arrested between 50 and 60 people on Saturday night and 20 on Friday night. The weekend's violence and disorder led to the highest number of arrests in recent years.
About 90 percent of those arrested were from Dunedin.
But some claiming to be innocent bystanders say they will go to the Independent Police Conduct Authority after being pepper-sprayed in their flat.
Emma Newman told 3News she suffered "excruciating pain" after being sprayed in her eye.
"Right in front of the door there, just opened it and got sprayed right in the face," she said.
"Your eyes just fully close over, and it's like a burning sensation, and it's all down my arm as well.
"I didn't say anything, throw anything, or light anything."
Flatmate Jeremy Perkins told 3News police shouted "'get inside' -- and that's about all we heard from them".
"Next thing I know I've got pepper spray in my left eye."
But emergency response commander Senior Sergeant Alistair Dickie is unrepentant.
"If they want to get in the way and get a bit ruffled up, too bad," he said.
"It's lucky that's all that happened to them basically."
Spray was needed "to get compliance" in areas where bottles were being thrown from, he said.
"But I don't think it was abused."
The annual event, organised by Canterbury University engineering students, involves a pub crawl from Christchurch to Dunedin, in cars worth under $500.
Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin has said he wants the event to be cancelled.
But Otago University Student Association (OUSA) president Edwin Darlow told NZPA the mayor was "sticking his head in the sand" over the issue.
"The issue here is not about supporting or opposing the Undie 500, because at the end of the day we can't stop people coming to Dunedin," he said.
"The issue here is how the city can best manage the situation once those people are here."
OUSA and the Canterbury engineering students had tried to organise events, including a Feelers concert for the students, but the council had blocked them, Mr Darlow said.
"So that people, instead of being in a managed situation, would be out on the street instead, which I simply cannot comprehend.
"Simply saying 'We don't want you to come' is not going to make the problem go away. And, unfortunately, that's been the attitude of Peter Chin."
Mr Darlow did not limit his criticism to the mayor, saying the students had some serious questions to answer over their behaviour.
"There's something seriously wrong with the mentality of some of the young people in this country.
"Anyone who gets a kick out of throwing a glass bottle at people (is) in need of some serious help as far as I'm concerned."
