By RNZ

A group of young people who climbed onto the roof of their youth justice facility in Auckland’s Wiri were “hungry” and “tired” following the incident — but will be held criminally accountable for damage caused.

Officials hope a full investigation will uncover the trigger for the incident, which saw the group tearing the roof of the Korowai Manaaki facility apart, ripping out insulation and wood.

An RNZ reporter at the scene said two youths also appeared to have climbed through a hole made in one of the buildings before re-emerging.

Thirteen youths got onto the roof of the facility in Wiri, south Auckland, about 6.40pm on Monday. They claimed they were protesting because they weren’t let outside, and said they had not been fed.

Nine of the group were coaxed down overnight and on Tuesday morning, with the remaining four coming down shortly before 11am. All have since been taken into secure care, or off-site by police.

No one was harmed, though one of the youths did sustain a minor injury when he got onto the roof.

“They are teenagers, they are cold, they are hungry, they are tired,” Oranga Tamariki deputy chief executive youth justice services and residential care Iain Chapman said following the incident.

“But at the moment... they are facing the consequences of their actions and they are being dealt with by police.”

Despite initial reports suggesting the youths were demanding Big Mac combos from McDonald’s, cigarettes and a getaway car, Chapman said the group “made no requests or demands to our staff on-site”.

Police, with youth justice facility staff, were yesterday in negotiations with several youths after they gained access to the roof of its Wiri facility on Monday. Photo / Carson Bluck

“At no stage were any demands made, nor did we give them anything in relation to any demands.

“We do find when there are disorder events — as any parent will tell you — there is often a trigger,” Chapman said, adding that will form part of the debrief into the incident.

“Whilst it is disappointing that this occurred, we can confirm at no point was there any concern for public safety,” Chapman said. It is understood the youths never made it outside the residence perimeter.

“The standard operating procedure we have in place for such incidents was initiated immediately, to ensure the young people were not able to get any further than the roof within the confines of the facility.”

Speaking outside the facility, Minister for Children Karen Chhour called the group’s behaviour “unacceptable”.

“We are absolutely not going to accept this kind of behaviour. Criminal liability will happen for the damage that’s been done”.

Chapman denied staff shortages were a contributing factor, saying the facility had a “full complement” of staff on shift on Monday evening.

“The staff who work here love this place,” he said. “When things like this happen, they dig in.”

The dynamics at the facility could be “quick to change”, Chhour said as she praised the “co-ordinated” approach to resolving the incident, which involved Corrections, police, Oranga Tamariki Health NZ and offers of help from Fire & Emergency NZ.

It was that co-ordinated approach, she said, that “managed to get this situation dealt with swiftly and quickly”.

“These young people are here at Korowai Manaaki because they have committed serious crimes,” Chapman said.

“They have caused damage to parts of our facilities, and they will be held criminally accountable.”

Minister for Children Karen Chhour called the group’s behaviour “unacceptable”. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Chhour said a contractor had done an initial assessment and the damage had been deemed “minimal”.

Speaking to Newstalk ZB, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said authorities would not cave to the youths’ demands.

“They’re not coming down for KFC,” Luxon said.

“These are some of the most serious and hardcore young offenders.”

It’s not the first time young people have climbed onto the roof of Korowai Manaaki, a similar incident in July 2023 was blamed on staff shortages.

A damning report in July found staff at the facility were smuggling in contraband, roughing up children, and silencing any informants.

- RNZ