Warning: The following contains violence that may disturb some viewers.
A dad says he is proud of his son who faced his bullies in shocking footage showing a school-time attack in Richmond, near Nelson.
Dad Mike Harvey told Newshub he received the heart-breaking call from his 14-year-old son who was attacked at school by a small group while 30 people watched.
"It was gut-wrenching… You imagine at that moment how terrified they must have felt and it makes you want to cry," Harvey said.
He said the incident took place at lunchtime on February 20 at Waimea College.
Harvey's son had locked himself in the bathroom when the group of six, who were sending him threats on social media earlier, came after him, the dad claims.
He said he was "staggered" when his son bravely decided to open the door, step out and take the beating.
"I am really proud at the fact that he didn't come out swinging. He's a pretty strong kid and he could have… So I am proud of the restraint that he showed, living up to his principles."
He said his son is incredibly empathetic and kind, which he attributes to him growing up with an older sister with Down syndrome.
Harvey said he is proud of his son for not turning to violence and having the courage to stand up to the bullies and report it to the school.
The attack was filmed and had been circulating on social media.
Harvey said he decided to post one of the videos on Facebook to bring the issue out in the open and said since sharing it on Monday he has been inundated with messages from parents, students and ex-students who claimed they have been bullied or witnessed fights as well.
The comment section on the video tells a similar story, with concerned parents sharing similar experiences of fighting at the school.
However, Waimea College said in a statement this type of incident is "not common" at the college and they have "no tolerance for violence of any kind" in their school environment.
The school said as soon as the school was alerted to the incident, they spoke with the parents of the students and began their formal disciplinary processes.
"While we can confirm we have taken action in accordance with our disciplinary process, we are unable to provide further details regarding the outcomes as these need to be kept confidential.
"We can confirm that the school's disciplinary response to this incident is muti-faceted including specialist agencies, one student will not be returning to the mainstream environment. The police are also aware of this incident."
The school also confirmed immediate action was taken last week and along with using stand-downs and suspensions, they offer counselling, learning and behavioural support, regular monitoring and check-ins, and bringing in external expertise to address any antisocial behaviours. Students are also reminded of who they can talk to if they are experiencing an issue, both inside and outside of school hours.
Waimea College sent a letter out to caregivers encouraging them to reach out if they have any concerns.
Fighting at schools has happened across New Zealand in the past.
In 2022, Newshub was sent numerous shocking videos of school children being beaten up all across the country.
Some of these include fights in Christchurch, Wellington and multiple schools in Auckland.
