An alleged assault on an elderly woman on an Auckland bus last Friday has sparked renewed safety concerns across the city’s transport network. Auckland Transport (AT) has condemned the “totally unacceptable” violence and is investigating social media footage of the incident. AT confirms that every person deserves to travel safely on its bus, train, and ferry services.
Details of the Original Bus Incident
The transport operator is reviewing the CCTV footage from the bus incident. The footage confirmed that five youths were engaging with a couple. While the youths’ behaviour was disruptive, the situation escalated into a physical altercation after the male passenger became agitated, which then involved others. Social media footage, reportedly uploaded by a lady named “Nettie,” showed four young people “beating up an old lady on the bus”. Another passenger on the bus was heard expressing anger at the group of young boys for the assault.
Following the escalation, the bus driver promptly followed protocols, radioing for police assistance and safely pulling over to allow passengers to exit.Transport Operator Response and Safety Measures
Auckland Transport states that occurrences of violent, threatening, and antisocial behaviour on the network are rare, but they are completely unacceptable.
The transport provider is currently liaising with NZ Police regarding next steps and is following up with tagged passengers to check on their wellbeing. The agency is also contacting bus operators for further information.
In response to the incident and safety concerns, Safety Ambassadors, supported by Transport Officers, have been deployed to the affected routes and will remain across these services over the coming weeks to provide reassurance to passengers. The operator encourages anyone witnessing unsafe or concerning behaviour to report it to station staff, police, or via Crime Stoppers (free text 4030).
The Community Backlash: “It’s not good bro, beating up old ladies.”
The original incident was widely shared online, leading to a community backlash. CCTV footage from Glen Innes Train Station on Sunday shows one of the youths involved in the bus incident being confronted and humiliated by a group.
Charlie-Ray Henry, a community member, confirmed his involvement, stating that he and his friends spotted the youth after returning from a bike ride.
“I seen on the net this lady Nettie that chucked up a video of four youngens that was beating up this old lady on the bus,” Ray-Henry said of the original incident. After locating one of the youths, he confirmed: “Me and my bros we spotted him out and confronted him”.
Henry detailed the nature of the confrontation, noting that they attempted to humiliate the youth: “The group i was with… we made him do press ups we kind of shamed him a little bit”. Despite stating, “we maybe shouldn’t have done it,” he justified the action, adding “we thought maybe it was the most appropriate way”.
His motivation, he explained, was to impart a lesson: “Teach him that’s not the way… try to teach him young before he goes into a man and think that’s all good, you know”. He concluded, “it’s not good bro, beating up old ladies, you know”.