A Canterbury high school student has been left beaten and battered after his classmates assaulted him because of a fake social media account asking girls for nude photographs.
The boy, who Newshub has kept anonymous, was viciously attacked at Darfield High School on Tuesday morning.
He was concussed, suffered a black eye, broken nose and a chipped tooth in the violent attack.
The boy's father, who didn't want to be named, told Newshub the attack was brought on by a build-up of multiple threats due to false allegations the boy was using Instagram accounts to ask girls for nude photographs.
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"It's nasty, serious stuff," he says.
"We have full access to all his social media accounts, not once has he done that. It's completely not true."
In a video posted on Facebook, the attackers can be seen pushing the boy into a bush. He tries to gain his footing but stumbles to the ground before the boys continue to beat him.
"Don't talk to my sister like that, you perve," one of the boys says.
"Asking a f**cking 12-year old for nudes, who the f**k are you," the other says.
The boy's father says it was "pretty confronting".
After taking his son to hospital the incident was reported to police. He says it was a "pretty harrowing experience" for his son as it "brought it all up again".
Police have spoken with the victim and the other students involved, and are working closely with their families and the school, Senior Sergeant Kelly Larsen says.
"Bullying behaviour is not ok and has serious consequences. Bullying is wrong. We all have a responsibility to do something to stop it," Ms Larsen says.
"No one deserves to be bullied and everyone has the right to be safe and feel safe."
Ms Larsen says it is a concern that people who witnessed this attack did not intervene or get help.
She urged anyone who is being bullied to confide in someone they trust.
In an email sent to parents Darfield High School Principal James Morris says the boy was involved in an "unprovoked attack".
The perpetrators were immediately suspended and are pending a disciplinary meeting with the schools Board of Trustees.
"The school is appalled by such behaviour," the email reads.
The boy's father says since the incident a number of people from across the country have come out in support against this act of bullying.
He says his son is in good spirits but the telling part of all of this will be how he goes at school on Monday.
Newshub.
