âȘ New Zealand police on Thursday arrested 120 people who were protesting against coronavirus restrictions outside the national parliament…
The estimated 120 individuals of all ages arrested were reported to have been attempting to camp in the capital Wellington for a third night, following two days of Freedom Convoy protests where initially over one thousand people and multiple vehicles gathered against New Zealandâs vaccine mandates and coronavirus restrictions.
In an effort to deter future protests, police have warned all those arrested will face trespass and obstruction charges alongside prosecution in court.
The police had reportedly told the remaining around 150-200 protestors â many of whom had vowed to stay there âas long as it takes â that they were trespassing, despite it being common practice for protest groups to rally on the lawn outside the parliament, and police previously having said their presence did ânot constitute a trespass notice.â
On Thursday morning the police announced over megaphones the protestors would be arrested if they didnât vacate the grounds.
Police were then seen to move in on the protestors and begin tearing down tents and arresting attendees, at one moment dragging a naked woman across the floor by her hair â it is unclear why the woman was nude, but other protestors were seen with ripped clothing.
Protestors chanted âhold the line,” and âshame on youâ and one over a megaphone repeatedly said, âkeep the peaceâ while protestors struggled with the police.
Some attendees also performed the MÄori haka â a traditional war dance by New Zealandâs indigenous population that was popularised by the New Zealand rugby team known as the âAll Blacks.’
The Speaker of New Zealandâs Parliament, Trevor Mallard, seemed to have escalated the situation between protestors and the police, despite saying on Wednesday the protest was a police matter, opted to close the parliamentâs grounds in an effort to end the protest and isolate the protestors from reinforcements.
Leftist NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern initially supported the freedom convoyâs right to protest saying: âPeople often protest on the front lawn of Parliament. It is part of New Zealandâ, however, Ardern has since U-turned on this policy saying on Thursday they need to âmove onâ â greenlighting the police to break up the rally.
Wellingtonâs police district commander, Superintendent Corrie Parnell attempted to justify the policeâs actions by saying the protest had started to âunfairly impact on the wider public,’ despite the physical protest, rather than the vehicular protest being largely self-contained on the parliamentâs lawn.
Drivers have also been warned that any remaining vehicles in the parliament area that are blocking roads that arenât moved will be subject to enforcement action.âȘ
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