Ryan Bridge: The stories about violence in New Zealand are infuriating

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

I'm getting really angry reading these stories about violence in New Zealand, and I don't think that harsher sentences are going to stop them.

I don't think that the gang patch ban is going to stop them, I don't think that wraparound services are going to stop them either.

I'm talking here about Palmerston North's emergency Department yesterday, daylight doctors are at work, nurses are there.

A cab driver has a minor accident with gang members in the hospital car park, gang members attack the cabbie, another cabbie comes to his rescue.

He gets beaten up, one of the cabbies gets taken into the ED and hidden because the gang members were threatening to kill him.

Cops arrive, two cops starting out, they get beaten up, the cop car gets attacked.

This is daylight on a Wednesday in Palmerston North while people are trying to get health care.

Six police cars end up having to come, they bring pepper spray and a taser and finally, the situation is brought under control.

I mean this infuriates me; it makes me so angry hearing about this. But what's going to fix it?

A Labour government, a National government? I don't think so.

Wrap around services, harsher sentences, no, I don't believe it.

I don't think in situations like this, they're listening to our politicians.

I mean, what do you do? Take your own taser to the hospital?

Probably the most reasonable response, I think. I mean, that's what sorted them out yesterday, isn't it?

Get your tasers out.

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