Police arrest marina protesters, dismantle floating occupation at Kennedy Point

Thursday, 15 July 2021

Tensions have been rising at the Kennedy Point Marina site on Waiheke Island, as activists and crew tussle and occupiers take over the floating pontoon. (First published July 8, 2021)

Police have dismantled the floating occupation at Waiheke’s Kennedy Point marina site, arresting a number of protectors for trespassing.

The Protect Pūtiki group had been camping out on the pontoon in the construction zone for a week.

Police said there have been “ongoing issues” at the site for “an extended period of time”.

Police on the pontoon at Kennedy Point marina site.

“Earlier this morning, police arrested and removed three people that were trespassing on a pontoon inside the construction zone,” Inspector Gary Davey said.

* Waiheke marina: Occupiers set up floating camp, one apparently kicked in the face

* Kennedy Point marina: Waiheke community vows ‘it ain’t over yet’

The floating camp was set up a week ago inside the construction zone.

“Police remain present at the site and we are monitoring the situation.

“Our focus is on ensuring the safety of all parties, from protesters present, to construction workers and the wider public.

“Police recognise the public’s right to protest peacefully and lawfully.”

A series of livestreams posted to their Facebook page this morning captured the moment police moved onto the pontoon and arrested members of the group for trespassing.

Tents have now been cleared off the pontoon. Police could be seen lining the fence to the breakwater, and standing guard on the pontoon.

In the first video, Protect Pūtiki spokeswoman Emily Māia Weiss said the occupiers were awoken by the police helicopter overhead on Thursday morning.

One protector remains on the construction barge.

The video ran as police clambered down the rock breakwater towards the pontoon and a police boat pulled up alongside.

Protectors used arm locks to secure themselves together as police told them they were under arrest for trespassing.

Bianca Ranson from Mauri o te Moana, who has been working alongside the Protect Pūtiki protectors, arrived at the site as the arrested occupiers were loaded into the police boat.

She said there were about 70 police officers at the bay, with some on boats with what looked to be a dive squad.

One protector remained on the construction equipment after climbing up there a few days ago, but has now come down.

The pontoon had now been dismantled, Ranson said.

In a statement, the developer, Kennedy Point Boatharbour Limited (KPBL), said the situation at the marina site had become “untenable”.

Thursday’s activity was a “direct consequence of the protestors’ illegal actions in recent days,” the statement said.

“[The actions] have included forcibly trespassing into an active construction zone and occupying pontoons installed for safety purposes, and then gaining access onto construction equipment within the construction zone and refusing to leave.”

KPBL said it supported the police’s objective of making sure the site was made safe.

“The company continues to respect the rights of people to protest peacefully.

“But where protests are aimed at unlawfully frustrating the rights of other citizens, as has occurred at Kennedy Point, they can no longer be called ‘peaceful’.”

The Waiheke community had turned out in numbers to witness what was happening, she said, but the atmosphere was reasonably calm.

Wednesday marks day 129 of an occupation at the bay in protest of a planned 181-berth marina.

Protectors are concerned the resident kororā, little blue penguins, will be harmed by the work, and say mana whenua were not properly consulted during the consenting process.

Tensions have been escalating in recent weeks, with both protectors and security crew sustaining injuries.

Police said there will be a further update later today and the developers have been contacted for comment.