Rowdy tourists: Kiwis fight back with savage memes

The antics of a tourist family have outraged the country over the last few days, and now Kiwis are fighting back with a powerful weapon: memes.

After being filmed littering and threatening other members of the public at Takapuna Beach on Sunday, the group of around 12 people has been accused of wreaking havoc across the North Island.

From allegedly refusing to pay restaurant bills to causing trouble in a Hamilton Burger King, the travellers (who claim to be from England) have dominated headlines and infuriated New Zealanders.

Now the tourists have become the subjects of a series of memes poking fun at the bad behaviour they've been accused of during their short but eventful stay.

One particular moment that was captured on camera has inspired several inventive memes. In video taken at Takapuna Beach, an aggressive young boy in an oversized Bunnings sunhat is seen confronting a woman after she asked the family to pick up their rubbish.

He demands to know what she said to his uncle (who can be seen lounging against a car in the background) and threatens to "knock your brains out".

A variation on the versatile 'Distracted Boyfriend' meme, posted to Facebook page 'the Controversial Kiwi', memorialises the now-infamous moment.

Rowdy tourists: Kiwis fight back with savage memes
Photo credit: The Controversial Kiwi / Facebook

Another meme mocks the boy's aggression as well as his distinctive accent, which led many Kiwis to assume the family is Irish - something they have since denied.

Rowdy tourists: Kiwis fight back with savage memes
Photo credit: The Controversial Kiwi / Facebook

One meme targets the man believed to be the boy's uncle, with a photo of him edited alongside a hand hitting a 'deport' button.

Rowdy tourists: Kiwis fight back with savage memes
Photo credit: The Controversial Kiwi / Facebook

Radio Hauraki posted a 'starter pack' meme to their official Facebook page, including the Bunnings hat, a "warm Budweiser" and a pile of rubbish.

Some jokesters have compared the travellers to the royals, "another bad tourist family".

Broadcaster Hilary Barry also got in on the fun, tweeting that the young boy's famous hat provides "great UV protection".

When another Twitter user criticised her for choosing to "shame and humiliate a little kid", Barry responded with a gif of US newscaster Anderson Cooper rolling his eyes.

The rowdy family's alleged reign of terror could soon be at an end as they were served with a deportation liability notice on Tuesday, meaning they might not be allowed back into New Zealand for at least five years.

Newshub.