Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Anti-lockdown protester denies fresh charge over weekend gathering

A second man has been arrested and charged over Saturday's mass anti-lockdown protest at Auckland Domain.

Papatoetoe resident Paul Thompson, aged 57, has denied failing to comply with the Covid-19 Public Health Response Order by attending the gathering, along with 5000 people, during alert level 3 restrictions.

He also entered a not-guilty plea for breaching his bail conditions through his lawyer Sue Grey via audio visual link at Auckland District Court this afternoon.

The man is also facing a joint charge with Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki for organising another protest at Auckland Domain on October 2.

The accused was readmitted to his existing bail conditions, which include not accessing or using the internet to encourage non-compliance, until his next appearance in January.

He is the second person to be arrested in relation to Saturday's gathering.

A man was charged yesterday over his attendance at the protest, and two other protests held earlier in October. He was set to appear in court this morning, before the matter was adjourned until December.

People attend the anti-lockdown protest at Auckland Domain on Saturday. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The arrest comes as a video circulated on social media of Freedoms and Rights Coalition MC and Destiny Church associate Kaleb Cave being escorted from his home by police yesterday afternoon.

About 5000 people gathered at Auckland Domain then proceeded to march through the streets of Newmarket brandishing freedom signs and flags and blocking traffic.

Police said they were "disappointed" in the actions of the organisers of the event, who "went ahead despite police warning them that the gathering was a breach of the current restrictions".

They said further charges cannot be ruled out.

The third and largest protest against the Covid-19 restrictions was held at Auckland Domain on Saturday. The first, held on October 2, attracted around 2000 people. A similar number of people attended a second protest on October 16.

Tamaki did not attend the third protest over the weekend, having appeared in court twice before Saturday.