Despite reports of "police harassment" of gay men after midnight in an inner-city Auckland park, police say they are not specifically targeting the men. A number of men have reported to GayNZ.com that police are targeting them while cruising the park, threatening them with arrest and demanding personal information. All the men say they are within their rights to cruise Western Springs park and claim they do not have sex there. Avondale police station, which has responsibility for the area, says police have received "complaints about motor vehicles being stolen or broken into in the area" and therefore "officers may periodically stop and speak to persons in the park area." They say they are unable to comment on specific incidents without information directly from the people involved. City Council Western Bays ward representative Bruce Kilmister says he has received similar complaints and has made enquiries of the Police without response so far.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 9th November 2002 - 12:00pm