Queen Street riot 1984

Queen Street riot 1984

Poster for the concert that sparked the riots on Queen Street

Are the kids all right? 

‘Tears, terror at the concert that made history’ was one of the newspaper headlines the day following the Queen Street riot of December 1984. It made for heady reading over the morning cornflakes as papers described screaming children, bloody head wounds and police facing ‘gun-toting’ rioters.

The ‘Thank God, it’s over’ concert took place on 7 December 1984 at Auckland’s Aotea Centre. Promoted as a summer celebration of the end of the academic year, this free event was to feature performances by top local bands Herbs, DD Smash and The Mockers. After the set by Herbs and shortly after DD Smash took the stage, the power went off. 

While waiting for it to be restored, some of the 10,000-strong audience started throwing bottles at police. There were a few arrests, and more police arrived, outfitted in riot gear.

On the streets 

Dave Dobbyn, DD Smash’s lead singer, then allegedly told the crowd, ‘I wish those riot squad guys would stop wanking and put their little batons away.’ The concert promoters, radio station Triple M, announced that the concert was being stopped at the request of the police.

Parts of the audience rioted. They poured onto Queen Street, smashed shop windows and left behind broken bottles, rubbish and upturned cars. Damage caused was in excess of $1 million.

The government ordered a commission of inquiry to investigate what had happened. Dobbyn was charged with inciting the riot, but he was eventually cleared of all charges.

Community contributions

20 comments have been posted about Queen Street riot 1984

What do you know?

mark

Posted: 15 Nov 2010

My mrs shelley and i arrived with a chillybin during Herbs sound check. Id brought a mates toolbox back from oz and got some acid for my trouble. We were 17, found my cuz drinking on the grass area, grouse day, i remember seeing my mrs being the only one standing n dancing in front of the stage, next i knew ther was thousands of people, and we bumped into everyone that we knew, i caught a taxi back to my ship and ticked up the rest of the bar and back to the square, i saw that guy pissin of the roof and it was rather a trivial thing, next a squad of police in riot gear speared their way through the crowd chanting hey, hey, hey in a V formation,thats what pissed everyone off, the forceful barging, thats when they started getting bombed. I was by the citizens advice bureau when the window smashed and the police car was across the road from the civic outside stones furs and leather shop, damn there was so much going on for so long, a security guard had a hold of this maori outside the london bar and he grabbed me asking to help him, i smashed him in the face and the security gave me the high eyebrows, ill add more another time,could write a book

Paul

Posted: 08 Jan 2010

I remember it all too well. Went early to the event but my girlfriend and I were hungry so left to find a place to eat. We heard on the radio the place was 'a riot'. We thought "oh good the place is realy rocking on" We headed back to listen to the bands and got caught in the mess. I remember trying to keep my girlfriend safe and being told to move back down the street by sailors in uniform. Only problem was my motorcycle was parked out front of the St James and the Herald the next day showed it being knocked over and a car rolled over it before the car was set on fire. I rolled my bike out of the area and was stopped by a cop who thought I was stealing the bike. Ah well I was part of NZ history in a small way.

fortyearsyoung

Posted: 03 Dec 2009

I was 17 when this happened. I remember sitting on the big rock in the middle of Aotea Square soaking up the atmosphere. I thought I had the best seat in the place. I remember seeing this guy climb up on the roof of the old Post Office and piss on this cop. We all thought it was hilarious. I dont think he did. I remember seeing a big fight up the front. We heard another fight happened and some one had broken into a gunshop. I think thats when the cops panicked. When they turned up I remember Dave Dobbyn saying to the cops f**k off you w*nk*rs. Most freaked out and bolted but some of us ran around by the WinterGarden and tried to get cheeky from behind them. I was pretty naughty then so I said,"Lets make a barricade". Next thing we were turning over a car on Victoria Street outside the Civic Theatre. I remember seeing my back on tv flipping the car.I took off to the 305 bus stop after that.

Anonymous 84

Posted: 14 Jul 2009

I finished high school in '84 and was at the concert with a couple of friends. We were drinking beer in the sun by the town hall and it was a great day. People were getting quite drunk (including us)and grooving to the music. As the afternoon wore on there were some drunken antics and it was getting a bit loose. I didn't know why the riot started (although I heard the story later about the guy p*ssing that the other person posted on this site) but I remember Dave Dobbyn saying the police were turning off the equipment and the concert was going to stop. Everyone started booing and then things escalated. In my memory it seemd to happen quite fast. People started throwing bottles at the stage and soon there were bottles everywhere, smashing on the concrete of Aotea Square, all around us. It rained bottles. My frineds and I had moved over to near the old Information Centre to try and protect ourselves from the glass missles. It had huge plate glass windows and this massive angry looking guy picked up one of those old wire rubbish bins and threw it at the window. I was so excited and amazed at this incredible rebellion that I must have been staring with my mouth wide open! The window bowed in and bounced the rubbish bin back. I realised that I was disa[ppointed and that I had actually wanted to see the window smash. The guy picked the bin up again and threw it really hard. The window smashed. It cascaded down like a glass waterfall. It was a stunning effect. Crowds surged down Queen Street, breaking windows and looting shops. Later we caught the bus home and the Police stopped the bus, got on and arrested some people with stolen stuff. The whole day was actually pretty cool, scary but the violence wasn't directed so much at people (at least in my experience) as property. Now I have my own children I would be outraged if this sort of thing happened but at the time, to a 16 year old, it was immaculate.

Anonymous1

Posted: 10 Jun 2009

Hi Bryce, No worries :-) I just wanted to add my bit that's why i posted - I bet there were others who saw different aspects as well. Mine is just one angle. You put forward what you remember and that's great as well - no disrespect intended by my post towards you at all. It was a shocking moment for new Zealand actually - it shattered the image of a peaceful country after that. Sadly, I don't live in NZ now but I would return there in an instant if I could, it's still an awesome place with awesome people. NZ'ers need to stand proud of who they are and how great their country is - you have a LOT to be proud of and can hold your heads high in this world. Look at what your prime minister is doing now - he stands alone in the world and is making correct financial decisions while the rest of the world stupidly keep s spending. NZ'ers are unique and are always prepared to stand up for what's right rather than take the easy way out! Well done ALL of you.

Bryce

Posted: 10 Apr 2009

Thanks to the contributor who was there on the day for the enlightenment. I was only 12 so only remember TV news footage but you're so right how history can be easily rewritten.

Anonymous

Posted: 16 Mar 2009

Sorry - I have posted three times because each time I remembered a little more about teh events of that day.
People have short memories! I remember only too well the riots and it wasn't started by the singers comments at all. It started when a young man p*ssed on the crowd and police went and tried to arrest him. The crowd intervened and refused to let the police arrest him. Yes, it may have been teh singers comment after that but it wasn't the reason the singer spoke out it was becasue the police tried to arrest him and then teh singer spoke out telling them to put away their battons. After that the police decided the concert got out of hand and ordered it shut down and had the power tuned off. When they tried to get the urinating man down everyone stood up to the police and pulled him away from the police - this is what started it - I was there. I notice the wiki entry for this event totally ignores the urinating event also.
The police then called for reinforcements from all over greater Auckland. People were driving in from the suburbs to take part in the protests and police got teh radio stations to broadcast that police backup was pouring into the city. The riots lasted for over a day - it wasn't over in a hurry at all. The police stood defensive and allowed the riots to quell themselves. The police realised they were totally outnumbered but they also remembered that the cause of the riot would soon lose momentum so they let it die a natural death. Amazing how politicians rewrite things to make ti seem like law and order prevailed when in fact it didn't.

Anonymous

Posted: 05 Feb 2009

Until recently I condemned Dave Dobbyn for his actions that day. Unfortunately I was not familiar with the facts and have had cause to reconsidered. Undoubtedly we all jump to conclusions; the power of the media to cast adverse comment can be very seductive if we are not vigilant.

Anonymous

Posted: 12 May 2008

Hi there i am studying a sociology paper at Massey University and want to analysis this event in terms of small group processes. Any one able to share their experiences??

Pages