Angry youths forced their way into the Ōpōtiki Library, demanding access to a homeless man who was being sheltered there last week.

Police said they were investigating the August 25 incident.

The library was closed the next day to fix an estimated $1600 worth of damage and give staff time to recover, Ōpōtiki District Council said.

According to eyewitnesses, about five college students in school uniform accused a homeless man of inappropriately touching a girl.

They challenged and chased him into the library building and, according to one witness, also assaulted him.

On his way into the library earlier in the afternoon, Ōpōtiki resident Kevin Tamati had waved to the man who had been sitting at the skatepark and asked him if he was all right.

The man had cheerily called out to say he was fine, Tamati said.

“When he took refuge inside and was followed by the teenagers, it got nasty.

“Two of the boys who were egging the others on were chanting; there were chairs being thrown and they were saying they’d kill the guy,” Tamati said.

“I told them if they had an allegation to make, they should make it at the police station.

“The rest of the group were not so worked up. Some of them might have been along for the ride, just to see what was happening. One boy was trying to get his friends to leave.”

Ōpōtiki resident Kevin Tamati called the fire brigade after angry youths burst into the Ōpōtiki Library. Photo / Paul Charman

Tamati said library staff took the man into the kitchen and called the police.

Tamati said he called the fire brigade and they arrived in a few minutes.

“When the kids saw the fire engine stop outside the library on the corner of King Street and Church Street, with about six firefighters inside it, they moved outside.”

Curley Keno, who is standing for Ōpōtiki Mayor, works next door to the library. She said she heard a commotion and went outside to investigate.

“I saw about five young people chasing a man on a bike who went into the library,” Keno said.

“The staff had closed the door and the youth were yelling, swearing, trying to get inside.”

Keno said she attempted to defuse the situation by getting the young people’s side of the story and urging them to make a complaint to the police.

“They kept saying ‘the police will do nothing’. They went to another building to calm down, but used their phones to summon reinforcements.”

Keno said library staff and other community members did an “amazing job” trying to de-escalate the situation.

Attempts were made to summon the police and get the rangatahi (youth) to leave.

Keno said she and her colleagues from Eastbay Reap eventually persuaded the remaining young people to come next door for a cup of tea and some kai, which is where some of the teenagers eventually spoke to the police.

Mayoral candidate Curley Keno was among those helping to resolve a volatile situation at the Ōpōtiki Library last week.

“This incident will have an effect on the whole community, but it’s part of an ongoing issue,” she said.

“We’re getting complaints about the conduct of rangatahi on bikes and horses, but these are only the symptoms of something deeper.”

Ōpōtiki College had not responded to questions related to the incident by the Ōpōtiki News press time.

What the council says

Ōpōtiki District Council service delivery group manager Nathan Hughes said CCTV footage and other evidence had been handed over to the police.

Hughes said while the investigation was ongoing, all the individuals involved — including their associates – had been temporarily barred from the library.

“There will be consequences. This will be worked through with local agencies, parents and the young people involved.”

Hughes thanked members of the public – particularly a group of wāhine Māori – who stepped in to support library staff.

“They were aware of the situation out in the street, came to assist the library staff while waiting for police to arrive and played a key role in calming the young people down and provided assistance by making contact with family members who could collect their children.”

Hughes said two external doors and one internal door were damaged, with the estimated $1600 repair cost below the council’s insurance excess.

The library was closed for a day to allow repairs and to give staff time to recover.

Despite the disruption, Hughes said library staff were not targeted and many knew the rangatahi involved.

He acknowledged the event was stressful but noted that staff were more saddened than traumatised and had access to support services, including rest days.

The council was reviewing building security and operational procedures to prevent similar incidents in future.