Police say more force on Wellington streets as protest enters second week

Sunday, 13 February 2022

A wet and soggy Monday morning for the protesters at Parliament.

More police officers will be out in force on Wellington streets on Monday, the city’s top cop says, as the parliament protest enters its second week.

Police will have a “highly visible presence” in and around parliament grounds, including foot patrols near the railway station and up Molesworth St, as people travel to work and school in the city, Wellington district commander Superintendent Corrie Parnell said.

Parnell said bringing in the extra numbers was an attempt to reduce the “unacceptable behaviours” seen at various times throughout the protest, such as threats to the public.

He said commuters should plan for continued traffic disruption, but that everyone should be safe entering the city. “We want everyone coming into the city to feel safe.”

Heavy rain did not deter protesters over the weekend, many dancing in the muddy lawn.

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Corrie Parnell, superintendent Wellington district commander, said the police were now appealing to protest organisers to try to unblock several central Wellington roads.

In a media conference on Sunday, Parnell signalled a shift in the police’s approach, saying they could not arrest their way out of the protest.

“The primary focus now is to appeal to those key organisers, leaders of the various factions, to engage with us,” he said.

That was critical to unblocking the several central Wellington roads still gridlocked by vans, trucks and campervans. Conversations with organisers had so far been unsuccessful, Parnell said.

However, he also said the plan was “not to wait it out”, and the Defence Force had been involved in discussions about moving vehicles along.

Protesters dance to the Macarena, which was one of the songs played loudly to deter people who had gathered on the lawn in front of parliament.

Police will offer vehicle owners the opportunity to move their vehicles to a new location.

There were no further arrests on Sunday. This is in stark contrast to last Thursday, when protesters clashed with police, resulting in 122 arrests.

Some of those arrested last week have bail conditions to not return to the protest but had done so, he said.

“We're very conscious and aware of their presence there,” Parnell said.

Alistair Boyce, owner of The Backbencher Gastropub across the road from Parliament, said he felt alone trying to deal with thousands of protesters that police couldn’t control.

Police are continuing to capture evidence where possible and will look to take “assertive action downstream” of unlawful behaviour, hesaid.

As it enters its seventh day it’s still not clear how the long the demonstration will endure, or what will bring it to an end.

Torrential rain did not drive away the thousands in tents, cars and campervans. At its peak over the weekend, 3000 people attended the protest. About 400-500 people were staying in tents.

Protesters donning rain ponchos, jackets, and umbrellas dug trenches and set down hay to deal with the weather, and continued to chant and dance on the now muddy, churned up lawn.

Backbencher Pub owner Alistair Boyce said he found about 40 tents with protesters occupying the pub’s dockway when he came into work on Sunday morning.

He felt he had no choice but to let the protesters stay, without power from the authorities to move them on.

“I am a 56-year-old man, trying to run a business by myself, surrounded by 2000 protesters, that 1000 police can’t control.”

Parnell said he had concerns about sanitation issues and a “squalor of water” at the site, as well as faeces on the ground.

“You've seen a number of medical events over the past few days, and those will continue to exacerbate. Nonetheless, the primary concern to me is the presence of the children,” he said.

Parnell also said he did not support Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard’s tactics to use annoying music to drive out the protesters.