The Vuna Road seafront, near the bus terminal and Vuna Wharf, is a popular gathering place for youth. (Photo 2013)

Amid growing concern over the escalating schools violence in Nuku‘alofa, Tonga Police beefed up their patrols around the Vuna Rd seafront bus station and CBD today, following yesterday's street fight and the arrest of two men.

A brawl of about 50 boys at the seafront bus terminal, in full view of passengers from a visiting cruise ship at Vuna Wharf, scared local business operators and frustrated the police on the afternoon of March 6.

The two men, identified as ex-students of Liahona High School, remained in police custody today after they were arrested in connection with the fight.

Police said they had not charged the two men aged in their early 20s as investigation continued, but more police officers were assigned to patrol the bus station and CBD area to prevent any further fights today.

Chief Inspector Tevita Fifita, the Officer in Command of the Nuku‘alofa Police Station, said the schoolboy brawl, at around 5pm was one of more than three fights that had occurred over the last couple of weeks.

He said the two men were arrested for allegedly attacking ‘Apifo‘ou College students, including a male prefect.

“We are certain to charge one of the boys we have in custody with assault and causing public disorder because we have solid evidence against him,” he said.

The investigation continued with the other boy.

“It was fortunate that the prefect from ‘Apifo’ou was not injured. The school fights are escalating because we had other fights between the same two schools…but no charges were made,” he said.

Riot

Yesterday’s brawl spilled over into the Kingdom Travel Centre on the other side of Vuna Road.

“It felt like a riot,” said the manager Sue Leonard.

“There were about 40 or 50 kids belting hell out of each other while the cruise ship passengers were taking photos.”

“We went out to close our gates but some of the kids came in over the fence and ran inside the office – they were uncontrollable. About ten came in through the door and were jumping out of the back windows, scaring my staff and our customers.”

Sue said she had complained to the police.

Incited

The Chief Inspector told Matangi Tonga that it was a difficult situation because when the police arrived on the scene the youths had dispersed and people were not coming forward to give evidence.

“Some students were taken into custody last week but after interrogation there was no evidence and we released them,” he said.

“The problem with these recent fights is that it is the ex-students - boys dressed in plain clothes who are inciting or starting the fights and causing the school kids to fight. We are continuing our investigation because we want to apprehend other ex-students we know were involved in the fight and take them all to court,” he said.