Police formed a line to disperse party-goers in central-Wellington which got out of hand.

A bottle-smashing, black-and-white-themed party in central Wellington managed to stop traffic when the boys in blue turned up.

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About 50 people were fighting and smashing glass bottles in the out-of-control party on Knigges Ave, Te Aro that spilled onto the streets on Saturday night.

Andrea Dewhurst Traffic coming off the Wellington motorway was brought to a standstill after a inner-city party got out of hand.

Police arrived at about 10.15pm and set about dispersing the crowd - one of whom took a selfie with a police formation in the background.

Andrea Dewhurst said that, as the drunk party-goers spilled out of Knigges Ave onto Vivian St, they "wouldn't move from the middle of the road" and the roughly-30 police were forced to stop traffic coming off the motorway for about five minutes.

The "feral" apartment the party was based at was notorious for rowdy behaviour, with partygoers moving couches to a public park across the road and, at a previous party, knocking over scooters outside.

SAM SACHDEVA/FAIRFAX NZ Police were in a stand-off with revellers.

At the apartment that hosted the party, a group of early-20s men faced a big clean-up on Sunday afternoon.

A large pile of beer boxes sat in the middle of the living room and all was quieter than the night before.

Those there did not want to comment.

SAM SACHDEVA/FAIRFAX NZ A dozen police were in attendance at the corner of Knigges Ave and Vivian St.

Matt Wells, who lives in another apartment in the block, said what started as a normal party in the student flat got out of hand about 11pm as he heard smashing bottles.

Bottles were being thrown out of the party at people on the street, who were throwing bottles back at the apartment.

Police turned up and formed a line at the end of the dead-end street, then walked up, dispersing the crowd of about 100 partygoers.

ROSS GIBLIN/FAIRFAX NZ Matt Wells witnessed an out of control party in Knigges Ave, Wellington city which spilled out of an apartment, left, on to the street.

It took two passes to clear the crowd.

"The police did a good job," Wells said.

Sinead Litt, who lives above the party apartment, said fireworks were lit on the street and some of the flying bottles hit her window.

YOGESH PATEL/FAIRFAX NZ The "out of control" party ended with broken glass bottles smashed on the street.

A Police spokesman said officers formed a guard to prevent revellers getting back near the apartment building and police were able to bring the situation under control about 11.30pm.

The party seemed to have had a black and white theme.

Four people were arrested for fighting, but it was unclear whether they were charged.

Security officers were called to seize the sound system at the party, he said.

Inner City Association president Geraldine Murphy said inner-city apartment parties were not a serious issue and the Knigges Ave area had not been seen as a problem in recent years.

"The issue from it is – who is responsible for ensuring it doesn't happen again?"

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