Headhunters gang members appeared to flout the COVID-19 alert level 3 rules with a funeral procession through west Auckland involving dozens of cars on Friday.
A Te Atatu local said she saw a hearse travelling down Te Atatu Rd on Friday morning with more than 50 cars following, headed to Waikumete Cemetery in Henderson.
"There was loud music and patched Headhunters gang members hanging out of all of the cars," she said.
"Last I checked, I didn't think you could have funerals - or you could with 10 people. But of the 50 cars they were just jam-packed with people, clearly flouting the rules."
Under alert level 3 regulations, funerals and tangihanga are allowed, but are limited to 10 people.
Photos from about 11am on Friday show a group of at least a dozen gang members congregating on the side of the road as the hearse drove past. The woman said there were no police in sight.
In a statement, police said they had responded to reports from members of the public about people gathering at a Henderson funeral home on Paramount Dr.
"Those gathered were spoken to and reminded about the rules at alert level 3. All were compliant with police and have since moved on from this location," a spokesperson said.
"However, police now understand there are some groups that are gathering in various locations in West Auckland. Police will be monitoring this situation and will be responding to any reports of gatherings."
Members of the public have been asked to report any instances of gatherings or traffic offending complaints to police to be investigated.
But the woman who saw them in Te Atatu says police need to do more.
"The police should arrest them because they're clearly flouting the rules and they should be getting fines. If I did that, I would probably get arrested and a fine," she said.
"It's just a bit of fairness really. Your everyday Joe Bloggs gets fined, but for some reason the gangs don't, which is quite sad."
She said a lack of enforcement makes lockdown "pointless".
"I mean, everyone's away from their loved ones and lots of other people have died and haven't been able to make funerals across borders, and yet the gangs are allowed to get together and do whatever they want.
"It just seems a bit of a joke, really."
Earlier this week, 16 gang members and associates were charged with dangerous driving and antisocial behaviour on Auckland's roads in relation to a large funeral procession three months ago.
The procession, which was held on June 18, caused disruption on the roads and concern for members of the public.
The majority of those partaking in the procession behaved within the road rules, Inspector Jacqui Whittaker from Auckland Police said on Tuesday. However, some of the group drove dangerously at times, putting themselves and others at risk.
