A routine journey from school to the mall became a horrifying experience for two Auckland schoolgirls as they faced an unexpected attack on a bus. The 16-year-old girls were onboard the 66 bus, bound for Sylvia Park in Mt Wellington around 3:30 pm on Monday. As the bus paused at a traffic light, one of the girls made eye contact through the window with a teenage boy who appeared to be about her age.
The girl returning a friendly smile and shared a jovial remark with her companion, joking about the boy seeking their phone numbers. Looking out again, she noticed the boy mouthing something in her direction, to which she responded by forming a love-heart sign with her hands. This innocent interaction swiftly escalated into an outburst by the boy and another girl accompanying him—yelling loudly, gesturing obscenely and eventually forcing their way onto the stationary bus.
Ascending to the back of the bus, their barrage of screaming and swearing intensified, directed towards the two schoolgirls. The female intruder then asked, “Do you think you’re funny?” before she physically assaulted both girls, delivering a forceful kick to their heads.
As the bus commenced its journey, one victim attempted to escape, only to find herself threatened by the assailant’s raised fists. At this point, the attackers hurriedly made their way to the bus driver, assaulting him and threatening to vomit unless he let them out. Succumbing to their demands, the driver opened the doors, and the assailants disappeared.
The girls were left shaken by the abrupt and unanticipated bout of violence. To suppress their imminent tears, they found solace in nervous laughter. One of the girls’ mothers told the Herald that this incident, which coincided with a murder that occurred at the Albany bus station on the same day, has left her daughters considerably distressed.
The girls, preferring their identities to stay confidential, managed to depart at Sylvia Park and hurried to the restrooms to call the mother. Despite the physical bruises and headaches following the incident, the mother was thankful that the repercussions were not severely damaging, quoting, “it could have been a lot worse”. She added that the attack was seemingly triggered by her daughter’s friend who was simply caught looking at the individuals and smiling, although she admitted her confusion about what could have offended the assailants.
The event has left the girls, and even the mother, feeling uneasy about pedestrian travel. The mother has since been collecting her daughter from school, unwilling to trust the bus journeys for her child. She contends that children should be able to safely commute to and from school or any other venues.
The lack of intervention from the bus driver disappointed the mother further, stating that the driver did not inquire about the girls’ well-being despite witnessing the events. The mother also expressed her disappointment towards the other passengers who did not intervene or inquire about their wellbeing.
Auckland Transport has stated that they treat such incidents seriously. They confirmed that they have followed up with the bus operator and have reviewed the CCTV footage from the bus. They assure that safety is their topmost priority and work closely with the police to ensure the public transport remains safe for the Aucklanders.
The girls reported the assault to the police on the same day. Nevertheless, they decided against pursuing a lengthy police investigation. The mother lamented society’s tolerance towards victimhood, in which only physical injuries tend to warrant police intervention.
The police confirmed receiving a report relating to the incident and are continuing their investigations. A police spokeswoman stated that the police have zero tolerance for any form of violence within the community and urged anyone feeling uneasy or unsafe to contact the police immediately.
