Firmly Confronts Anti-vaccine Protesters, New Zealand Police Unload Camps And Tow Vehicles

COVID-19 protest in front of New Zealand's Parliament Building. (Wikimedia Commons/Kiwichris)

JAKARTA - New Zealand police took new steps on Wednesday to end the anti-vaccine mandate protests that have plagued the nation's capital for the past three weeks, dismantling a campsite set up outside parliament in Wellington and towing vehicles.

The fire broke out between several tents, causing smoke to billow above the site before being extinguished by police, a Reuters witness said, as officers worked to clear the land completely.

"The protesters who illegally occupied the parliament square and surrounding streets have been given many opportunities to leave. It's time for them to leave," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said at a news conference after police action earlier on Wednesday. March.

Taking inspiration from truck driver demonstrations in Canada, hundreds of protesters have blocked roads with trucks, cars and motorbikes, in protests that have led to violent clashes.

Police said earlier that around 60 people had been arrested and they had "gained significant ground" in their initial efforts to clear the protesters. At least three officers were injured, police said.

COVID-19 protest in front of New Zealand's Parliament Building. (Wikimedia Commons/Kiwichris)

Protesters used fire extinguishers, paint-filled projectiles, homemade plywood shields and pitchforks as weapons and cables were attached as trip wires, police said. Social media footage shows protesters throwing full water bottles and shouting harassment at police.

Authorities used loudspeakers to warn protesters that they would be arrested for trespassing on parliament grounds if they refused to leave. Pepper spray was used against some of the protesters.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said it was time to clear the streets of Wellington. Prime Minister Ardern said the protests had been sparked by misinformation and conspiracy theories.

The protests began in defiance of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, but were later followed by groups calling for an end to all pandemic restrictions.

"We are fighting for our standard of living. We want our sovereign rights over our bodies," said Kate Siegert, who was not vaccinated, as she watched protesters move forward to block police advances.

Siegert, who had made several trips from his home in Auckland to join the protests, said he lost his job in IT because of a mandate requiring vaccinations for those in the healthcare industry.

Meanwhile, at least 10 children were seen inside the protest area and police said they were concerned for their welfare.

Separately, Lisa Suasua, 55, who has been part of the protests for weeks said she would hold out until the end.

"They (the police) were very brutal. They didn't talk, they asked us to continue," he said.

"They came around 6am and started to dismantle the tent in the church (field) that had women and children in it and just started coming in with their riot gear," he said.

To note, having five million residents, New Zealand has imposed strict anti-virus restrictions that have limited its cases to more than 118,000 and 56 deaths, much lower than in many developed countries. But boosted by the Omicron variant, daily infections are currently near record levels.

About 95 percent of eligible people have been vaccinated with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with injections mandatory for some staff in frontline work.