Street brawls spark safety fears in Nadi

The Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) is calling for increased Police presence in Nadi Town’s main street and hotspot areas such as Martintar and Namaka following viral videos showing young boys involved in street brawls.

The incidents reportedly happened on Saturday night after a carnival.

Videos circulating on social media showed one group fighting in front of Bank of Baroda in Nadi Town and another outside Max-Val-U supermarket in Martintar. Some youths were also seen climbing onto the ceiling of a restaurant on the second floor of a building.

In one video, a Police vehicle was seen arriving at the scene, causing the group to disperse.

NCCI president Lawrence Kumar said the violence raised serious concerns about public safety, the town’s reputation, and the potential impact on tourism and local businesses.

He said stronger Police patrols were needed in identified high-risk areas to prevent similar incidents.

“I urge the Police Commissioner and the Divisional Police Commander West to increase Police presence on the main street of Nadi and in hotspot areas like Martintar and Namaka,” Mr Kumar said.

“Many shops do not have full-time security, even though they have CCTV cameras, and there is concern these youths could damage or break into properties.

“On behalf of the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I am deeply concerned about this incident and ask Police to look into this matter.

“The Police should develop and implement a mitigation plan to address security concerns and prevent a recurrence.”

Questions sent to Police remained unanswered when this edition went to press.