Saturday 17th October 2009

Students Fed Up With Media Bashing Of Youth In Nelson

Students Against Violence Everywhere Nelson is fed up at the continual media bashing and slamming of young people in Nelson in light of the latest incidents occurring after Nelsons annual Mask Parade on Friday 16th October.

The Nelson Mail reported that 200-300 young people congregated on Nelsons cathedral steps and went on to report of the nine arrests, abuse towards Police officers and alcohol fuelled fights. SAVE members were amongst those youth that gathered and feel discriminated against because all the youth that gathered were labeled as violent, drunk and abusive which is completely incorrect.

SAVE believe that the youth of Nelson have been slammed by these reports and are disappointed that only the Police were ever quoted in the article which is now making national headlines and promoting the youth of Nelson as troublesome violent alcoholics.

SAVE Chairperson Johny O’Donnell said “The Nelson Mail is correct to identify that youth of Nelson gathered after the Mask Parade but majority of those youth did not start fights and were simply in town to have a good time” he added that this was then ruined by a small minority of young people who caused fights and abused police officers leading to nine arrests.

“It disappoints us that youth are viewed in such a way, and it’s not good enough that decent unproblematic youth are being slammed by false accusations” says Johny O’Donnell “it’s almost like if you are standing on or near the Church Steps on a Friday night you are obviously trying to start a fight or cause trouble, it’s appalling youth are slammed and stereotyped for nothing”.

SAVE do not condone violence of any kind but believe that young people shouldn’t be discriminated against or profiled as violent. SAVE would also like to commend the Nelson Police and HYPE-GS (Help for Young People at Events and Gathering Spaces) who both did a great job in minimising these incidents.

-End-

© Scoop Media