Leap year parties spark riots in New Zealand

Leap year parties turned into near-riots, with police recording 552 "events of disorder" over an eight-hour period, it was reported on Saturday.

Leap year parties turned into near-riots in three New Zealand cities, with police recording 552 "events of disorder" over an eight-hour period, it was reported on Saturday.

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Many drunken out-of-control parties caused the incidents in Auckland, Whangarei and Hamilton, police inspector Willie Taylor told Radio New Zealand.

He said up to 200 partygoers from two different gangs fought with bottles and sticks in a Whangarei suburb and two were seriously injured.

There were running street battles with sticks, picket fences and broken bottles in Auckland suburbs and in the centre of Hamilton during what police said was "a crazy night".