Lower Hutt mayor Campbell Barry.
Photo:
Lower Hutt’s mayor says a festival in the city on Friday was a success, despite reports it was marred by bad behaviour.
There were multiple arrests, disorderly behaviour and assaults on police officers at the JuicyFest hip-hop and R&B music festival, which featured international headliners T-Pain and Ashanti.
But speaking to Morning Report, Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry denied it was anything out of the ordinary for a festival, and questioned the media attention it had raised.
“There have been hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of comments of how much of a success the event was,” he said.
“Yes, there absolutely were a few incidents, and the police dealt with that, but a lot of people had a really, really good time, and it was a showcase event for the Hutt.”
While those incidents had to be taken seriously, they were to be expected, Barry said.
“In events where you have 15,000 people over a 12-hour period with alcohol involved, you’re always going to have incidents which security and police have to deal with.
“That’s no different to any other festival across New Zealand, and I don’t see the type of media focus or coverage on those festivals.”
Police have confirmed no arrests were made at other major music festivals this summer, including Rhythm and Vines, Rhythm and Alps and Northern Bass.
Barry said he would happily welcome back JuicyFest for another year.
Prior to the festival there were fears it would be tarnished by an awful stench from the Seaview wastewater treatment plant that had been plaguing the area in recent months.
But the event was free of the foul odour, Barry said.
“All reports were that there was no issue from the wastewater treatment plant, as we expected.
“There is a longer term fix for that plant, there is still on and off issues, and we’ll get on to that through our long term plan.”
