COVID-19 Restrictions And Vaccine Protest Enters Third Day, New Zealand Police Detain Dozens Of Protesters

Protest against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccinations in New Zealand. (Wikimedia Commons/Kiwichris)

JAKARTA - New Zealand police on Thursday arrested more than 50 people, began cracking down on the removal of hundreds of protesters who had camped outside parliament over the past three days, over protests against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccinations.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday told protesters to "move on", saying the protests were not a reflection of how the majority in the country felt.

As of 2:45 p.m. local time, about a thousand protesters remained at the site, defying warnings and police efforts to clear them.

"We all really want to move. We are working very hard to put ourselves in the best position to do that," PM Ardern told reporters after visiting a COVID-19 vaccination center in Auckland.

PM Ardern acknowledged every New Zealander had the right to protest, but said it must not interfere with the lives of others. Removing protesters is an operational matter for the police, he said.

Despite credit for keeping the country virtually virus-free over the past two years, the strict restrictions now in place have become unpopular, with PM Ardern's approval rating taking a hit in recent polls.

Protest against COVID-19 restrictions and vaccinations in New Zealand. (Wikimedia Commons/Kiwichris)

With the border still closed, tens of thousands of New Zealand expats are in danger of being cut off from their families, while tourism businesses struggle to stay afloat.

Separately, New Zealand Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard on Thursday authorized the closure of the grounds around the parliament building, after which demonstrators quickly confronted police officers, beating drums and shouting insults. Some were seen throwing empty plastic bottles at police.

As the crowd pushed through the barrier, police pulled them out and wrestled them to the ground, a Reuters witness said. Dozens of people were handcuffed and taken away amid shouts of "Shame on you!" from the crowd.

Many protesters, who said they were vaccinated but opposed giving the vaccine, were seen holding placards reading "Freedom", "Leave our children alone" and "Let me work".

"We're not going anywhere. We're going to hold the line and see this go by," said one demonstrator who gave his name only as Adam, and said he came from Palmerston North, about 140 km (87 miles) north of Wellington.

"We want our freedom back. Jacinda (Ardern) has turned her back on us. Kiwis are not stupid. We lost our jobs and our lives because of these mandates and restrictions," said another protester, who identified himself as Dave.

Police said those arrested would face charges of misconduct and obstruction and would appear in court. Authorities have also appealed to owners or drivers of vehicles blocking roads around parliament grounds to move them or face law enforcement action.

To note, having a population of around five million, New Zealand has reported more than 18.000 confirmed cases and 53 deaths since the pandemic began. About 94 percent of eligible people are vaccinated, with injections mandatory for some staff in frontline work.