Anzac Day events across Northland to go ahead with armed police on hand

Thousands of people attended the Anzac Day dawn service at the Cenotaph in Laurie Hall Park in Whangārei. Photo / Tania Whyte

Anzac Day commemorations across Northland will go ahead but there will be armed police at most gatherings.

Services at most west Auckland-based RSAs have been scrapped amid fears of counterattacks after the mosque attacks in Christchurch last month but it has not impacted Northland commemorations.

Chris Harold, president of the Whangārei RSA, said the dawn parade was a service for the community and while there was heightened concern by police following the March 15 terror attacks the very popular dawn service would continue.

Harold expected a crowd of about 7000 would gather at the cenotaph in Laurie Hall Park following the parade through the city's streets.

"We are there for the community so we will go ahead as usual."

Harold had met senior police and advised them of their plans for the day and the time schedule.

"It's like anything we will be cautious and the police will be there to do their job."

In the wider Whangārei area there would be services at Hukerenui, Maungakaramea, Waipu, Maungatapere, Hikurangi, Whananaki School and Ngunguru.

Kaitaia RSA club manager Tracy Russell encouraged everyone to turn out for the service.

"I hope the terror attacks are not going to put people off attending services. People shouldn't live in fear because of what happened in Christchurch," she said.

"We are going to celebrate the day as normal. It's not about anyone else, it's about the fallen and we are not going to give in to terrorists."

In Dargaville the dawn parade and service would carry on followed by a breakfast at the Northern Wairoa RSA, president Dave Fagan said.

He said police officers normally marched in the dawn parade along with fire officers and St John staff. To have the police armed would not make any difference.

Inspector Al Symonds said confirmed there would be officers armed with firearms at
Anzac Day services across the region.

He said police had not advised any of the RSAs to cancel any parades and they were working with the clubs on a plan. Symonds said there were no major security concerns in the region but there would be police staff and services.

Late last month Operation Whakahaumanu, which means to restore to health and to revitalise, was rolled out across the country, and police in Northland want to ensure people feel safe in their communities following March 15.

Symonds is managing the Northland operation and said armed police would be present at public events while the national threat remained high.

"The national threat level is high but there is no specific intelligence to suggest that there is a particular threat in Northland. However, we are not going to take that chance.

"The main aim is to make people feel safe and, yes, there will be armed cops out there.

Any concerns and people should contact us and we are happy to give advice. We just want people to carry on with their lives without any worries."