15 Aug 2002

222 Tongan students in police custody over school attack

3:47 pm on 15 August 2002

222 Tongan students remain in custody after they allegedly went on a rampage at a rival school causing an estimated quarter of a million US dollars of damage.

Police say the students from Tupou College are to appear in court on Friday morning on charges of wilful damage.

They allegedly destroyed Tonga College's truck, many of its computers, broke windows and musical instruments.

Tonga College's Deputy Principal, Ilai Toli, says the destruction followed several clashes between students of both colleges after two successive rugby victories by his school.

Rivalry between the colleges' students has sparked rampages in the past, but Mr Toli says they are now trying to find ways to reconcile the two groups.