Police Investigating Attack After New Zealand Festival

New Zealand police say no arrests have been made two months after a couple leaving Christchurch’s Electric Avenue festival were attacked by a group of men.  

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Police confirmed April 24 they have interviewed the alleged main assailant and no arrests made. Amelia Rayner was hospitalised after being punched in the throat.

According to her family, the couple was leaving the Hagley Park site at 11:15 p.m. when three men outside allegedly grabbed her hat.

he retrieved it, and it is believed her male companion exchanged words with them.

They returned with a fourth man and allegedly assaulted him. When Rayner intervened, she was attacked.

The attack reportedly left her with a crushed windpipe, forcing doctors at Christchurch Hospital to put her in an induced coma to insert a metal plate to help her breathe.

Two months later, she is thinking of returning to work.

But NZ media outlets are asking why there have been no arrests.

Rayner’s father confirmed he had appointed a lawyer to find out why, as reported in the New Zealand Herald. 

It is understood that inquiries are continuing and police are still appealing for eyewitnesses.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Worner said, “Because of the nature of where the investigation is at the moment I can’t release any more information on that.” A bill of 30 overseas and local acts – including Shihad, Shapeshifter, Chali 2NA, Hermitutde, David Dallas and Dub FX – drew a crowd of 11,000.

Police stated the crowd was well-behaved except for a few drunken incidents.

There were 105 noise complaints, but council confirmed no volume restrictions had been exceeded.

Festival spokesperson Callam Mitchell said the event injected NZ$3 million ($2 million) into the city’s economy with an estimated 3,000 bed nights occupied by out-of-towners.