The Press reports that an unprovoked attack on a group of tourists in central Christchurch, NZ over the weekend could tarnish the city’s reputation with tourists, the city’s deputy mayor says.
Norm Withers said he was “deeply hurt and saddened” to hear about the attack by five men on a group of English and Danish tourists in Cashel Mall at 1am on Saturday.
The attack was apparently sparked by nothing more than their accents.
Six of the eight tourists were taken to Christchurch Hospital, including two with knife wounds.
One tourist remained in hospital in a stable condition last night and was expected to be released today.
Withers said the city stood to lose if the perception spread overseas that it was unsafe, particularly at night.
“The next thing we’ll get tourist agencies recommending to bypass Christchurch and that’s the worst thing that can happen,” Withers said.
“People deserve to feel safe in our city and, as usual, it’s a small minority that spoil it for the rest of us and I’m fed up with it.”
One of the English tourists injured in the Cashel Mall attack, Daniel Sheehan, said he and a group of friends were having a last night out together in New Zealand before going their separate ways.
He said one of his friends was approached by five young men as they walked through Cashel Mall on their way to Oxford Terrace.
Sheehan said his friend fell to the ground and he went to help but was attacked himself.
He later said the men attacked them after saying, “They speak funny, they speak funny, they sound funny”.
His friend, who remained in hospital, had planned to travel to Bali yesterday.
He may now have to stay in Christchurch another fortnight, he said.
Sheehan suffered injuries to his ear, cheek and fingers.
His parents flew in from England to be with him yesterday because their son had been traumatised by the attack.
Detective Sergeant John Gallagher said the tourists were victims of an “unprovoked and cowardly” attack.
The offenders were believed to be in their late teens and early twenties.
Withers said Christchurch police did a “top job” but there needed to be a greater police presence on the streets at night.
By : The Mole
