7
1
A young boy has been applauded for for trying to protect a teenage girl from a fight by standing over her and taking most of the blows.
The boy was captured on video intervening in the argument between the young girl, who is reportedly his girlfriend, and two other teen girls in the Whakatane New World car park, according to the NZ Herald.
The video was posted to Facebook on Wednesday and has been watched more than 490,000 times.
The boy can be seen trying to get in between his girlfriend, who is wearing a black puffy jacket, and a girl in a red jumper who is pulling her by her hair.
'I don't want to hurt no one. Let her f***ing go,' the boy can be heard saying.
A group of teenagers gather around and watch as the girl in the red keeps trying to punch the girl, who is hiding behind her boyfriend.
When the girl in the red jacket tells them to 'hit her,' the boy refuses.
The trio fall to the ground and the girl in the red repeatedly knees the boy in the face as he leans over his girlfriend to protect her.
A second girl then joins in and begins kicking and punching the boy and girl cowering on the ground.
It has been confirmed some of the students involved attend Trident High School.
'Fortunately we don't have issues like this happening on a regular basis ... it's a group of students; some of them are from our school, some of them are not at school, and some of them are from a different school,' Principal Philip Gurney told the NZ Herald.
Police told the publication they are investigating.
Viewers online have praised the young man for his efforts, telling him his parents would be proud.
'Well done. He isn't a boy, he is a man! A man that did what was right! His family raised him with morals,' one woman said.
'Disgusting girls. Yes that boy needs commending, we need more like him. Shame the other boys and girls watching didn't step up and stop it also,' another said.
'Awesome work to that young boy, regardless of the situation he should be proud of what he did!!' a viewer agreed.