Sunday, December 18, 2005

posted by: copernicus on 12/18/2005 02:24:00 AM
BAD SANTAS RUN WILD IN NEW ZEALAND


-Auckland "Santas" said they were part of a global movement-

A gang of "Santas" cut a trail of havoc across New Zealand's biggest city in what was meant to be a protest against the commercialisation of Christmas.

About 40 men in ill-fitting Father Christmas costumes ran around Auckland vandalising or stealing property, and throwing bottles, police say.

A police spokesman described it as "fairly average behaviour" from "an organised group of idiots". The gang first drew attention when they appeared on a motorway bridge on Saturday afternoon to urinate on passing cars and smash beer bottles, police said.

According to the New Zealand Herald, they entered a casino where several of them vandalised a giant Christmas tree in the foyer. When one of them climbed the mooring line of a cruise ship he was ordered down by the captain and arrested.

The remaining Santas entered a convenience store in the city centre and stole beer and soft drinks. "They came in, said 'Merry Christmas' and then helped themselves," said store owner Changa Manakynda.

Alex Dyer, a spokesman for the group, said Santarchy is a worldwide movement designed to protest the commercialisation of Christmas.