ONE minute a Rockhampton street was quiet, the next moment punches were flying and people were being thrown to the ground.

A brawl that started with a few late night revellers, rapidly snowballed to more than 20 as they swarmed across William St Wednesday night, hitting and kicking each other.

OUR SAY: Brawl defies all pleas for sense

The brawl erupted in the nightlife precinct of Rockhampton and was caught on video and later posted to Facebook.

The reason behind the violence isn't known, as the crowd dispersed before police arrived on scene.

Inspector Virginia Nelson said that no arrests were made and police had not received any complaints.

While brawls are infrequent in Rockhampton, Insp Nelson said that any form of violence is completely unacceptable.

The large brawl is untimely as police yesterday afternoon announced a campaign taking a no tolerance approach to assaults, with the Christmas and summer seasons approaching.

"Our campaign is to educate with the one punch can kill message. We take a zero tolerance approach to any activity that compromises the safety of any member of the community," Insp Nelson said.

"Do not become involved (in a brawl), walk away. Often alcohol is a contributor and we would ask people to look after their mates, stay safe, avoid drugs and don't drink too much."

Police will be highly visible in public areas of Rockhampton and are hoping their presence will aid in people making good decisions in relation to their behaviour.

Police are seeking support from the public to take responsibility for their behaviour and are encouraging sensible drinking habits.

Their anti-violence campaign will target violence in any environment, including public areas to assaults at home.

Fight facts

Police research shows young men in particular, between the ages of 15 and 25, are the most likely to be assault victims or offenders in Queensland.

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