No tolerance for brawling bullies, states Police Commander [1]
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 - 16:52. Updated on Friday, September 12, 2014 - 16:42.
Groups of bullies and thugs are blamed for starting street brawls between school boys from Liahona High School and Tonga College in Nuku'alofa on Friday, February 27 that could result in over 110 boys being charged for offences.
Police Commander Chris Kelley said yesterday, March 3, that these bullies and thugs tried to justify their actions by using school or college honour as a cover for their actions.
A total of 110 schoolboys from Liahona High School and Tonga College could be charged for offences arising from three different brawling incidents on Friday, February 27.
"We won't tolerate brawling schoolboys on the streets of Nuku'alofa and those that think they can carry on from where they left off last year better think again", Cmdr. Kelley emphasised, saying that it was time to "name and shame the bullies."
In a Police Weekly Crime Report yesterday Cmdr. Kelley stated that the police had already charged 12 school boys. Five boys from Liahona and five boys from Tonga College are charged with fighting in a public place, while two Liahona boys are charged with disorderly behaviour.
Nine of these students appeared in the Nuku'alofa Magistrate's Court yesterday and the remainder will appear in court on Tuesday, March 10.
Investigation
Meanwhile, the police are investigating the remaining 98 schoolboys, who may also be charged.
The Police Commander said that the first incident took place at 9.00am on Friday, when a Tonga College boy swore at a Liahona student. This escalated into a serious fight at the bus stop outside the Tonga Water Board on Taufa'ahau Road.
The second incident occurred at about 4.30pm on the same day outside the Mosimani Building on Fatafehi Road, with the third incident around the same time, but at the bus stop outside the Water Board office.
Detained
Subsequently 74 Liahona students and 24 Tonga College students were arrested and detained at the Central Police Station.
Police inquiries revealed that Liahona boys had planned a reprisal attack on Tonga College students as a result of the first incident earlier in the morning. To make matters worse some boys initially gave police false names and particulars
The Commander said police bail was not granted until each parent came to the police station and confirmed the identity of their son. Some of these students were still on probation from previous incidents last year.
He added that he went to the police station on Friday evening and spoke to both groups of boys from each of the colleges and he again visited on Saturday morning to find a long queue of parents at the station.
Shame bullies
"I would expect the school authorities to take firm disciplinary action as well. And I understand that a wide range of initiatives has been taken in the past to try and stop this type of behaviour but none appear to have worked.
"Quite frankly, it's all about attitude, bad attitude by groups of boys who are essentially bullies and thugs who try to justify their actions using school or college honour as a cover for their actions.
"Don't blame the schools, the police or the community as the responsibility lies at the feet of all those boys involved.
"Their actions will be subject to scrutiny by the courts, hopefully their parents will not appreciate standing in a queue at central police station waiting to bail or feed their son, whatever the case, maybe it's time to publicly name and shame these bullies", stressed Commander Kelly.