I have always felt if the media spent more time on the good and less on the bad, people would think doing good things would be the norm. Unfortunately, too many people, especially here in the US, think being a dick is normal and should be accepted. I would bet there are some dipwads out there somewhere planning a trip to New Zealand just so they can top what these fucktards did.
I think that’s true of the locals at every tourist destination on the planet.
My wife and I were welcomed with open arms everywhere we went while in New Zealand. We were invited to breakfast one morning by the neighbors of the Airbnb where we stayed in Auckland, the invitation was based solely on their fascination Americans. Besides leaving with a full stomach, we now have some new friends we correspond with on a regular basis. They were absolutely thrilled when we told them we are coming back this next December, we have a place to stay in Auckland as their guests.
I think Kiwis would be bored of my opinions about how its all Bread and Circuses and vocal minorities, rather than having strong tribalist opinions…but I could be wrong.
…there was nothing “spontaneous” about it. The first story that rolled in: the littering at the beach with the video of the young boy making a threat, was a mildly amusing human interest story that featured prominently on the news because it was fucking funny. People and businesses that interacted with the family saw the story and they contacted the media to tell them what happened to them. The media reported that and it became a bigger story. *Then *the media started following them around: but at this stage the “crime wave” was effectively over.
There was no set up.
I would hope it’s sarcasm.
Simply taking holidays locally in NZ I’ve come across many tourists over the years who are just enjoying their trips and have had a number of pleasant interactions. Being in IT I’ve also had the opportunity to work alongside quite a few people here on work visas, as well as recent immigrants, and other locals and I have been keen to share our favourite sightseeing destinations with them so they can get to know the country.
I know I want those that are heading home to have great memories of NZ, and those that are living here now to love the place as much as I do.
The vast majority of the 2 million tourists who arrive here each year behave themselves and are welcomed with open arms. We save the full on stalking and harassment for only the most objectionable.
Oh My! Haven’t you heard? In a PC world, violence is no longer allowed. Everyone else is supposed to ignore the boorish behavior until the boors decide to go away.
Violence aside, the behavior has not been ignored; one of the group has already been prosecuted on shoplifting charges (and police in Hamilton made them comply with NZ vehicle / child safety laws before sending them on their way). I think they’ve also been refused service some places on grounds of the news reports.
Right now the New Zealand Herald has a breaking news crawl on their mobile site just to let everyone know they got a parking ticket at the airport and not all of them have left the country.
Did Chevy Chase get the film rights to this story? 
I’m surprised they weren’t prosecuted for the long string of other misdemeanors and thefts (and dine-and-dash is theft), to be frank. Being a rude asshole may not be a crime, but a lot of the other stuff they did was.
I don’t know any Maori but the Samoans I have been in contact with – at least the males – seem to come in Large and Extra Large.
Just sayin.’
It was probably cheaper to just chuck /em out. Besides, where do you stash the nine-year old when mom and dad are in gaol?
Send him over to the States! We got camps here for that!
Nah, only when they’re assholes. There are some people who think that if they’re abroad it’s ok to up their everyday jerkishness to orbital levels; for some reason the locals dislike that.
I question because everyone know that New Zealand is too civilized to have a Burger King.
I thought the English used two fingers for your standard rude gesture.
Certainly wasn’t my experience. The worst attitude I encountered during my whole stay was from a drugstore cashier in Auckland; she wasn’t by any means rude, just gave me standard teenage wage-drudge apathy. While hiking on one of the islands in the bay, I wandered into a man’s backyard; he came out to chase me off, and we ended up having a half hour conversation about the election of George W Bush, which had occurred the night before.
I left New Zealand thinking that you’d have to put a gun to her mother’s head to get a Kiwi to be rude to you.
Payback time.
So listen up, New Zealand. If you don’t stop attacking our tourists we will send more like these.