Ardern slams New Zealand protesters after ‘disgraceful’ attacks on police

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern denounced protesters occupying parliament grounds after some ugly clashes with police on Tuesday.

“The attacks on police have been absolutely disgraceful,” Ardern told reporters. “Clearly there are a group who are increasingly acting out in a violent way towards the police.”

As the protest against vaccine mandates in downtown Wellington entered its 15th day, police said three officers were taken to hospital for a medical assessment after being sprayed with a stinging substance that is still to be determined. Others were fortunate to escape injury after a protester drove a car at police as they sought to reduce the perimeter around the occupied area. 

Shields were deployed after protesters had thrown objects at officers the previous day, including human waste, police said.

“The police are there doing a job to keep Wellingtonians safe, to have them met with such acts of violence is totally wrong,” Ardern said.

“To everyone who has said this is a peaceful protest, they can surely see now that in some quarters it is not. So it is their responsibility to leave.”

Inspired by the blockade in Ottawa, the protest against Covid-19 restrictions has grown in size and shows no signs of abating. The sea of tents covering parliament grounds has spilled out onto the lawns of other civic buildings in the area and protesters’ vehicles continue to block roads in the capital city, angering residents.

Festival atmosphere

Despite the occasional clashes with police, a festival-like atmosphere pervades the occupied area, which has become a village complete with road signs, food, massage and yoga tents and areas for children to play in. 

While the main demand of the protesters appears to be an end to vaccine mandates, there are a range of groups among them. Some espouse conspiracy theories and police have identified some far-right activists. Some placards and graffiti of the protesters have also called for violence against politicians and the media. 

The government and other political parties have called the protest illegal and pledged not to engage with demonstrators until they remove their vehicles and tents from the area. 

Some protesters have said initial efforts to move them on galvanised the various groups among them. 

In the first week of the protest, police made about 120 arrests before pulling back, while parliament’s speaker turned on sprinklers and blasted annoying music from loud speakers to encourage people to leave. 

Protesters also had to brave the remnants of a cyclone that lashed Wellington with high winds and torrential rain. When the grounds turned into a mud bath, the protesters covered it with hay. Since then they have become increasingly entrenched.

“What is happening in Wellington is not New Zealand,” Ardern said. “What we have is a group who are simply going too far, who are breaking the law and who need to leave.”

Bloomberg. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com