Bikie gang flout lockdown laws with 150 members gathering at an open funeral - as 'powerless' cops watch on and do NOTHING
- Around 150 bikers attended a funeral in New Zealand despite a max limit of 10
- Man who laid his sister-in-law to rest a day earlier was outraged by the gathering
- Seven police cars were present from the beginning of the Filthy Few funeral
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
More than 150 bikies ignored coronavirus restrictions to farewell a fallen member at a funeral despite the presence of police.
The Filthy Few motorcycle club had a huge turnout for a funeral service of one of their members at Matamata Cemetery, on New Zealand's North Island, on Tuesday.
There were reportedly up to seven police vehicles stationed outside the funeral at all times, but officers stayed their distance and allowed the funeral to take place.
The country has since loosened its lockdown laws to allow up to 50 people to attend approved funerals, but at the time the limit was just 10 people.
Lawrence Lynch, who was at the cemetery laying flowers for his sister-in-law buried the day before, said he was 'brassed-off' at the large send-off.
Lawrence Lynch, who was at the cemetery (google street view pictured) laying flowers for his sister-in-law buried the day before, said he was 'brassed-off' at the large send-off
He told Stuff he confronted police because he was annoyed only seven people were allowed to attend his sister-in-law's service the day before.
'They said "we can't do nothing about it". To be quite honest, I don't think the cops could do anything about it, because there were too many of the gang members,' Mr Lynch said.
'It was not very nice, I thought, but if that's the ruling, that's the ruling. That's what I'm brassed off about.
'If we have to sacrifice that, how come that they were allowed that yesterday? It's quite sad when you lose a family member.'
Witnesses initially thoughts it was a checkpoint while another slammed the gathering as 'ridiculous'.
NZ Police's Inspector Andrew Mortimore, the Acting District Commander Waikato, told Daily Mail Australia he understands that COVID-19 restrictions add difficulty when you have lost a loved one.
'Prior to this funeral service, staff spoke with those involved to remind them of the Alert Level 3 restrictions and encouraged them to work with the funeral director to ensure appropriate distancing, and controls on numbers,' Inspector Mortimore said.
There were six to seven police vehicles outside the funeral at all times. Pictured: Biker riding off after funeral
'Police staff will be following up with those at the service who may have breached the restrictions and enforcement action in the form of warnings or prosecutions is being considered.'
A spokeswoman from the Matamata-Piako District Council said an application for a funeral was received and they provided instructions that ten people would be allowed and their names must be provided in advanced.
'We later heard rumours in the community that large numbers were planning to attend the burial, so we arranged for security guards to be present at the cemetery and notified the police. Police were present at the funeral from the outset,' she said.
'The Security Guards attempted to record the details of those who attended for contract tracing, however, we don’t have exact figures of how many attended. We believe this was closer to 120-150, not 300 as some media outlets have reported.
'We know members of multiple gangs attended, however, do not know which gang the deceased was affiliated with.'
Coronavirus: Biker gang flouts mass gathering rules at Matamata funeral
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As many as 300 biker gang members and affiliates openly broke the coronavirus mass gatherings rules at a Matamata funeral, as several police watched on.
Lawrence Lynch was one of seven mourners at a funeral for his sister-in-law, who Stuff has agreed not to name, on Monday, where a roll call was taken to ensure they were adhering to mass gathering restrictions.
The following day, Lynch returned to Matamata Cemetery to put something on the grave site, only to be greeted by hoards of mourners.
"Holy smokes - there's all these bloody motorcycle gangs there. There's about 200 or 300," Lynch said.
"Brassed off" by the flagrant dismissal of the rules, Lynch asked one of the police officers for an explanation.
"They said 'we can't do nothing about it'. To be quite honest, I don't think the cops could do anything about it, because there were too many of the gang members," Lynch said.
He then approached the Matamata-Piako District Council.
"They said 'it's out of control, and we couldn't do [anything] so we called the police in'," Lynch said.
A cap on numbers at his sister-in-law's funeral was difficult — his children were not able to attend the service.
"It was not very nice, I thought, but if that's the ruling, that's the ruling. That's what I'm brassed off about.
"If we have to sacrifice that, how come that they were allowed that yesterday? It's quite sad when you lose a family member."
Matamata-Piako District said it had received an application for an internment to take place at Matamata Cemetery on Tuesday.
A council spokesperson said "we provided instructions, as we have done all throughout level 3, that 10 people would be permitted and their names must be provided in advance to be ticked off on arrival".
"We later heard rumours in the community that large numbers were planning to attend the burial, so we arranged for security guards to be present at the cemetery.
"When the numbers started to exceed the limits set in the government guidelines, we escalated this to the police."
Police acting district commander Waikato Inspector Andrew Mortimore said officers spoke to mourners involved with Tuesday's service prior to it going ahead.
They were reminded of the alert level 3 restrictions and encouraged to "work with the funeral director to ensure appropriate distancing and controls on numbers", Mortimore said.
"Police staff will be following up with those at the service who may have breached the restrictions and enforcement action in the form of warnings or prosecutions is being considered."
National leader Simon Bridges launched a petition calling for the "inhumane funeral and tangi rules" to be relaxed to allow up to 100 people at funerals, weddings and places of worship.
"It's not fair that you can have 30 people on a rugby field playing close contact sport, but you can't have more than 10 people at a funeral, so they can grieve together," Bridges said.
After meetings with church leaders, funeral directors and iwi leaders over the past 24 hours, the government on Wednesday afternoon announced gathering numbers at funerals would be loosened to 50 people.