Eight youths climbed onto the roof of the Korowai Manaaki youth justice facility in South Auckland, which led to a stand-off with authorities. The incident, taking place on December 31, culminated after the youths spent an entire night on the roof. They eventually came down and are now facing charges of intentional damage, currently held in police custody.
Children’s Minister Karen Chhour criticized their actions as disorderly and disruptive, emphasizing that this was not a protest, a notion proposed by some in the media. Recognizing such behavior as repeated in their communities, she pointed out its occurrence during the heightened emotions of the holiday season, declaring it unacceptable.
Minister Chhour attributed a decrease in similar incidents to recent changes in the operation of youth justice residences, which have focused on enhancing the safety and security of these facilities, as well as improving staff recruitment and training. She praised the staff at Korowai Manaaki for containing the situation without any severe injuries and reiterated her support for their actions in resolving the matter.
