Remember the days when streakers at matches were politely led away with a policeman’s helmet covering their groin?

Aussie Michael O’Brien became the world’s first streaker at a major sporting event when he ran out naked on to the pitch at Twickers during a match between England and France (Daily Mirror)

Those days are long gone in New Zealand (if they ever existed in the first place). Here’s how the free world viewed the attack (video above) on a defenseless man at the Al Blacks v. England match at Dunedin recently – UK’s Daily Mail

In New Zealand streakers are now are hurled to the ground in violent rugby tackles and forced into head locks. If they should break their neck or suffer other major injuries what does it matter because “it’s their fault.”

Here’s how Brad Hemopo’s assault was reported in NZ:

“The streaker invaded the field in the second half of the match. He did not make it far. After tackling him, the guard  holds the streaker in a headlock before two others join him to drag the man from the field.

The video has caused divided opinion among online commentators. Some said the pitch invader was ”destroyed” or ”hammered” while others called the tackle ”over the top” and a ”king hit”.

John Warren Harsh said on Facebook that the tackle ”could have seriously injured the guy, who, whilst he shouldn’t have been doing what he was, didn’t deserve that treatment”.

Mark Dewsbery said the country was becoming ”soft”.’

‘Why do so many defend the idiot? He knew before he ran out there it was wrong. If he broke his neck it’s his own fault.”  source

Yet if the offender were 13 and appearing in court for murdering an immigrant, his family would be yelling out to him to “be strong” and “we love you.”

Do our readers have any other cases of NZ victim blaming they’d like to tell us about?

In March 2012 Hemopo was selected to play for the under 21 Maori team.