A café owner at Westfield Riccarton Mall in Christchurch has expressed frustration after an altercation with a group of trespassing teens went viral on social media, Stuff has reported. The incident, which took place at the Coffee Club café on 14 September, was captured in a video that has amassed over 27,000 views.
Avalpreet Singh, the café’s owner, said the group of 10 to 15 teenagers disrupted the busy Saturday afternoon by tearing sugar sachets, making a mess, and hurling abusive language. The incident occurred between 3pm and 3:30pm.
“They were making a mess on the tables, throwing hand gestures at me, and mocking my accent," Singh said. "One of them even said, ‘You know you can’t touch me,’ when I tried to intervene.”
The situation escalated as the teens continued to vandalise the café, throwing takeaway food and drinks across the tables and floor. A customer seated nearby, Davina Mae, witnessed the incident and recorded a video, which she later posted on TikTok with the caption: “I was just trying to enjoy my meal until these kids came along. Very disrespectful. Racist mocking, vandalism, and one of them threatened to throw their food at me because I said something.”
Singh told Stuff that despite calling mall security, these incidents are becoming a daily occurrence. "Every day, we face vandalism, theft, and verbal abuse. It’s incredibly disrespectful and embarrassing," he said. Singh has been running the café for just three months but is already considering closing due to the persistent harassment.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Singh added, recounting a recent encounter with a young man who hurled racist comments at him, threatening physical violence. “I have to stay quiet and listen because I’m here to serve the community, but it's becoming unbearable.”
Singh, who immigrated to New Zealand in 2014 with his family, previously worked as a truck driver. He decided to open the café to spend more time with his wife, but the ongoing challenges have made him question the future of his business. “I thought this would give us the freedom to work together, but I don’t know how long we can keep going.”
A spokesperson for Westfield Riccarton Mall acknowledged the incident, stating that their security team had engaged with the teens multiple times and eventually escorted them off the premises. A police spokesperson confirmed that a report was filed for the breach of a trespass order but that police did not attend the scene as mall security handled the situation.
Singh continues to face the daily challenges of running his business but remains hopeful that steps can be taken to curb the abusive behaviour in the future.
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