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Two protesters were arrested and another 40 removed from a Taupo District Council-owned house south of the town which the group has been illegally occupying for the past two months.
Police moved on to the site, on State Highway 1 about 7km south of Taupo, at 7am today to remove the Maori sovereignty group, which calls itself the Mataara Tiger and Barbara Wall Whanau Hapu Maori Incorporation.
The council house had been earmarked for removal and allocation to local Iwi Social Services.
Police area commander Inspector Bob Burns said the group had taken out several notices in local and national papers saying that they were taking over all Tauhara Middle Lands (283,423ha) and that all services from crown enterprises were dispensed with.
The group had ordered Crown Services to remove all structures from the land and had "steadfastly" refused to negotiate or discuss their issues with the council, Mr Burns said.
When police moved in today, a 38-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were arrested for trespass and 40 people were prevented from re-entering the site.
The man and woman appeared in Taupo District Court this morning.
"Illegal occupation of land is not a sound method of addressing any perceived grievances and will only end by placing police in the invidious position of upholding New Zealand law and with occupiers entering the criminal justice system," Mr Burns said.
- NZPA
