A meeting between people from Afā and Niutōua was held this evening in Afā in an attempt to patch things up after shootings and a brawl was caught on camera.
Police officers, church ministers and leaders of the two communities were at the meeting which was livestreamed and shared on Facebook.
The video purported to show a Police officer speaking during the meeting.
He was overheard as saying it appeared that a convenience store in Afā sold liquor after hours. He said the store should have closed at 9pm.
The officer said the store could be closed for good if it continued the late-night activities. The officer appeared to be of a view that the alleged after-hour selling of the alcohol at the store opened an opportunity for the two groups to meet there and fight.
“It is important for us to live in peace and harmony,” he said in Tongan.
The meeting was organised to reconcile the two rival groups after two men were allegedly injured in a shooting incident in Afā last week.
Meanwhile, a graphic video clip was released on Facebook this week.
It purported to show three men being knocked unconscious by their opponents during a fight.
Allegations on Facebook said the fight involved people from Niutōua and Afā.
