Southern Cross Campus in Māngere. Photo: Google Maps
Southern Cross Campus in Auckland's Māngere went into lockdown briefly on Wednesday afternoon after a group were seen disrupting students trying to leave.
A teacher at the school told RNZ they were just about to leave for the day when they were asked to go back inside. He said his 20 or so students were on the floor of the classroom, and they did not know what was happening.
"Please refrain from contacting any staff at the school, as this could lead to distraction of their primary focus, which is caring for our students," a message on the school's website posted at 3.31pm on Wednesday read.
Shortly after 4.15pm, the school said the lockdown had been lifted.
"All students, staff, and persons on-site are safely accounted for. Everyone responded well to instructions and remained calm throughout the process," principal Samantha Smith said.
"A notice will be sent out to parents/caregivers tonight with more information about the emergency lockdown procedures."
Police said it was sparked by an unknown group hanging around the gates, blocking vehicles and congesting the road.
Police said there was no disorder, but the school itself made the decision to go into a lockdown.
Officers had since been at the school making sure students could safely leave.
