File photo. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Two men have been arrested after reports of a fight including at least one person with a knife resulted in armed police converging on Auckland's Sylvia Park Shopping Centre.
The pair were members or associates of the Rebels gang, police said in a statement this afternoon.
Both men were in custody and will face charges relating to fighting in a public place.
Officers were trying to find at least two others involved in the fight.
A spokesperson said police received several reports of a fight taking place just before 1pm.
Acting Inspector Matt Child said initial reports were that those fighting were carrying knives and other objects.
"Police were at the mall within minutes and immediately took two people into custody on site."
Officers were armed as a precaution, he said.
There were no reports of any injuries.
Child said the fighting took place near a jewellery store in the shopping centre.
"Staff at the store activated its fog cannon as a precaution as the fight was taking place outside, however, the store was not connected to what took place.
"Police do not tolerate this sort of violence, which took place in a very public place," Child said.
Earlier, eyewitness Samuel Henderson told the New Zealand Herald he grabbed his eight-year-old son and ran out of the mall when the fight erupted in the food court about 1pm.
He saw a man run towards the fight wielding a knife.
Henderson said two men at a table next to him began yelling and then started throwing chairs.
A retail assistant told the Herald the incident was "freaky".
She did not see a fight, but saw smoke/fog cannons go off and crowds of people start running out of the mall.
Ten to fifteen police arrived quickly, some armed, she said.
Hato Hone St John sent an ambulance and three rapid response units to the scene, however, they were stood down by police, the organisation said in a statement.
