“He winds up, whacks him so hard and fast you can hardly see the punch,” said Alatini, who is a former member of the band TrueBliss and starred in the science fiction TV show The Tribe.
“He’s knocked out for a long time, but we quickly realise what happened. This guy just walks on through the bar like it’s nothing, he walks to the back to meet his friends.”
McDade said it was clear the group came in looking for a fight, after reviewing footage of the incident and seeing their “cowardness” and “demeanour”.
“When we reviewed the CCTV footage, one of them throws a king punch at me. Like, how can you do that? I’m a girl.
“I‘m trying to stop it, you know, we’re trying to give someone medical attention, and you want to throw a punch at me. And I just thought, ‘What a coward. What a low-life scumbag coward’.”
Alatini said she tried to confront the group over their behaviour, but McDade tried to pull her away, while having to dodge an attempted punch from one of the men after she urged them to back off.
“I’m pretty sure if their families knew the activities that they were engaging in and conducting, they’d be embarrassed, disappointed and humiliated, because I know no family wants that to be the reputation of their loved ones.”
Natalie McDade (left) and Megan Alatini at the launch of New Zealand’s Alpine Salmon Caviar season at SO/ Auckland in June 2025. Photo / Norrie Montgomery
Senior Sergeant Richardson said police responded to the incident after receiving reports of an assault at a Grey Lynn establishment.
“A group of people has entered the premises, where one has allegedly committed an unprovoked assault on a patron.
“The victim was knocked unconscious and was required to be transported to hospital for treatment.
“He has since been released and is recovering at home.”
A man was knocked unconscious by an alleged coward punch assault at a Grey Lynn venue over the weekend, with his friends threatened when they rushed to his aid and tried to intervene. Photo / Supplied
Richardson said police were now working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those involved.
“Anyone with information is asked to update Police online now or call 105 using the reference number 260906/4778.
“Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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