Teens swarm Auckland CBD in hunt for YouTube sensation ...
Hundreds of teenagers spent the day in Auckland CBD attempting to hunt down a popular online personality.
IShowSpeed, who has 33 million YouTube subscribers, had been live streaming his location on the streaming platform Twitch.
Fans RNZ spoke to said they had been in the central city for hours trying to catch a glimpse of the popular creator, also known as Speed.
One teen said a group swarmed a van the YouTube sensation got into outside Sky City Hotel.
"Everyone saw where he was on the stream and just started running.
"People started jumping on the van and throwing things at it and vandalising it while it drove away. Someone did a back flip off the hood.
"It was pretty crazy!"
Fans of the YouTube sensation known as IShowSpeed outside Sky City Hotel in Auckland CBD. Photo: RNZ / Jessica Hopkins
Another group of fans said they chased the van through a parking lot.
They said security were pushing people off the van and told them to "F**k off".
The group said they had also followed Speed through Sky City and down an escalator hoping to get a photo with him.
The 19-year-old from Ohio, whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins jnr, is currently on a tour of New Zealand.
IShowSpeed put his rugby league skills to the test at a Warriors training session. Photo: Supplied / Screenshot
Earlier on Monday, IShowSpeed paid a visit to a Warriors training session where he put his rugby league skills to the test, 'running it straight' at former player Anthony Gelling only to be comprehensively slammed on his backside. He clearly felt the hit, as he took some time getting back to his feet.
He then had a crack at stopping Dallin Watene-Zalezniak in a one-on-one, only for the flying Warriors winger to use his trademark soaring technique to score over as the Warriors taunted IShowSpeed afterward.
In perhaps his gutsiest move in Aotearoa to date, Speed stepped inside the octagon at City Kickboxing where he took on Kiwi lightweight 'Dan the Hangman' Hooker in a sparring session. Hooker did not hold back, landing one flush on the liver of the American, sending him to the canvas.
However, Speed continued to stand and trade with hooker, prompting the UFC fighter to describe him as having "ba**s of steel".
On Sunday he also attracted large crowds in Rotorua.
Police said they were aware of the crowds in the Auckland CBD but had not received reports of serious incidents.
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