Authorities urge violence-free night in Auckland, New Year's events cancelled elsewhere

Photo: AFP / NurPhoto

An Auckland councillor is urging calm on the city's streets as well as in homes on Wednesday evening as revellers prepare to ring in the 2026 new year.

It comes after two straight nights of violence in the city involving group brawls.

Three people were put in hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning from three separate assaults around the central city.

There was mass disorder on the Karangahape Road night strip and an estimated crowd of more than 50 people.

Police have made a fresh appeal for help from the public and any footage.

But violence came again that night, again involving a group of people, this time in the South Auckland suburb of Wiri.

Police were called to Wallson Crescent to reports of several people fighting.

Ahead of Wednesday night, Police told RNZ New Year's Eve was a big night for officers across the country.

In Auckland, huge crowds will flood the central city around the Sky Tower and around the Viaduct to see the fireworks set off at midnight.

The five-minute display will have 3500 fireworks - or 500 kilograms - launched from levels 55, 61 and 64 up to 240-metres above the ground.

There were 14 kilometres of cables and wires to make it happen.

"A significant amount of planning goes into deployment of officers to areas where we're likely to see large numbers gathering and celebrating," a spokesperson said.

"And