File photo.
Photo: Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye/ 123rf
A police investigation is underway after a video began circulating on social media showing a woman being attacked on an Auckland bus.
Police said the assault, by a group of young people, took place on a bus in the central city last Friday.
In the video, seen by RNZ, a group of young men could be seen surrounding and threatening a woman before one, dressed in a white singlet, attacks her.
Auckland City East Area Commander Inspector Jim Wilson said police were investigating what happened and who was involved.
Wilson said police were aware of videos being shared on social media and he strongly advised anyone making threatening comments or sharing the videos to stop.
Anyone who came across threatening material online should take screenshots and report it to police to help the investigation, he said.
Police were aware of a second incident being captured on camera in Glen Innes on Sunday.
Auckland Transport’s group manager for public transport, Rachel Cara, said both incidents were filmed and widely shared online.
During Friday’s attack, Cara said the bus driver followed safety protocols by pulling over and opening the doors so passengers could get out and they radioed the bus depot to alert police.
There was clear CCTV of the entire incident from on board the bus, Cara said, which had been stored for police use.
On Sunday afternoon, at the Glen Innes train station, Cara said there was an “altercation” between a young person and a large group of adults on bikes and a motorised scooter. Police were called by station staff and CCTV was stored.
‘These incidents have been highly publicised on social media, creating the impression that Auckland’s public transport network is unsafe. That is not the case.
“Auckland Transport runs up to 14,000 bus, train and ferry trips each day and incidents like these two are incredibly rare across the whole public transport network,” Cara said.
There was always more to be done, Cara said, to address antisocial and aggressive behaviour and AT would work with police and partner agencies to support community safety initiatives.
If anyone had further information on either incident they could update police online or call 105 using the reference number 260523/2382.
Recent incidents on Auckland buses
From January to December 2025, there were 2161 reported incidents of “aggression, violence, racism, discrimination, and inappropriate behaviour” on Auckland public transport, according to AT.
A number of incidents at Auckland bus stops and on Auckland buses have been reported on in the media in the last few years.
Last month, a person was stabbed multiple times while standing at a bus stop by Manurewa Railway Station, while a teenager was assaulted at a Massey bus stop in March.
Bernice Louise Marychurch was murdered on the number 74 bus in Onehunga by Kael Leona in October 2024, while US student Kyle Whorrall was killed in an attack at a Meadowbank bus stop in April 2025.
In December 2025, Sefo Leger, 59, was fatally stabbed on a bus travelling from Glen Innes towards Ōrakei. Another man, 41, was seriously injured after boarding the same bus a short time later.
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