February 19 2022
There were 1901 new Covid-19 cases in the community today as more people head to Wellington's protester-occupied Parliament grounds. Video / NZ Herald / George Heard / Mike Scott
As protester numbers on Parliament grounds continue to grow, police warned of "serious concerns" for safety at a concert at the site on Saturday night.
The "Rhythm & Rights" concert, organised by Destiny Church-aligned Freedom and Rights Coalition began at 4pm and included performances by Shane Walker, Dam Native, Sweet & Irie and DJ Raw.
It comes as the protest camp grows - including a swathe of new recruits from a convoy which started in Auckland this morning - and police earlier towing cars from Featherston St.
"Police are aware of a planned concert on Parliament grounds this evening and have serious concerns around the health and safety of such an event," police said in a statement.
"We continue to maintain a highly visible, reassurance presence on site, and staff are engaging with the public and protestors to provide advice and, where necessary, take enforcement action."
Police confirmed they had attended at least six medical events within the protest and urged anyone parked unlawfully to remove their vehicle and enable ready access to emergency services.
An estimated 800 vehicles are parked illegally around the protest site.
Police cleared illegally parked vehicles on Thorndon Quay today — 15 were moved by protestors after police spoke with them and two were towed.
Most cars, which were originally parked in the median lane, were removed by the owners peacefully.
Police around a car in the median strip on Featherston St during a short-lived operation which saw several cars being towed, and others moved voluntarily. Photo / George Heard
Members of the protest security explained to the crowd that officers will be informing people where their cars have been taken to.
Some members of the crowd shouted out "fair enough", when security staff explained why the vehicles had to be removed.
The mood of the crowd was fairly calm, protesters appear comfortable with the decision but very keen to make sure towing doesn't continue.
Police and protest security staff worked hard to keep the crowd from gathering on the road and impeding traffic.
Shortly after protesters moved onto the road, but they have since cleared away. Police appear to have little influence, with protest security instructing the crowd.
The gathering is near the train station, where scores of people are flowing out, most maskless and draped in protest regalia.
Police tonight added of the illegal parking situation: "Police are also noting the registration of vehicles currently impeding traffic for follow up enforcement action, and structures such as tents and marquees are being removed from any site that does not form part of the main protest area.
"The parking facility at Sky Stadium is at capacity."
Earlier, police said they had noticed an increasing number of people arriving at Parliament grounds on day 12 of the protest against Covid-19 vaccination mandates and a slew of other causes and grievances.
Police in the CBD try to clear cars and free up Featherston St for traffic. Photo / George Heard
People were coming down from Auckland, the coalition posted on Facebook.
"We apologise that due to a lack of resources (all our people are tied up/already in Wellington) we won't be organising and leading a convoy. but if you're still keen to try and find some people heading down, see below," they wrote, before outlining meeting points for travellers.
Meanwhile, Wellington Mayor Andy Foster and leaders from the city's business community have written to Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Small Business Minister Stuart Nash requesting urgent financial support as the Parliament protests roll through their second week.
"The pandemic is having a really significant impact on Wellington businesses, some which are now on the brink of closure," Foster said.
"This is a result of two years of Covid restrictions, lockdowns, the current red-light settings, working from home, and public nervousness."
Foot traffic and spending in the central city was down 20 to 30 per cent since the end of last year.
"Today business and council are together calling on Government to help and support our businesses and their staff, so that jobs are not lost at what - we hope - is the final hurdle."
There have been multiple reports over the last 12 days of anti-social behaviour by protesters, including abusing passersby - among them children - for wearing masks and surrounding streets and buildings have been overtaken by tents, campervans and cars.
People have come from around the country to join the protest. Photo / Mike Scott
This morning, there was an increased security presence at the protest with a larger number of people dressed in high-vis with "security" written on their backs moving through the camp.
They don't appear to be restricting media access or asking questions of people entering the site, a Herald reporter said.
A Hawke's Bay couple had again returned to the protest on the weekend, donating their camping equipment.
This time they were able to use somebody else's gear, with tents and camping equipment dropped off at the administration tent where new arrivals can get any sleeping gear they need.
The Herald had witnessed cars pull up and people unload new tents and air mattresses to donate.
The couple, who wouldn't be named, said the mandates hadn't affected their jobs but they were concerned about the vaccine itself, saying they had friends who were in hospital as a result.
"Why is the media not reporting that?"
People queue for breakfast at the Parliament protest this morning. Photo / George Heard
According to Medsafe's latest published safety report on January 31, there have been 51,710 adverse events following immunisation reports since the Pfizer vaccination programme began in New Zealand.
Of these, 2447 were considered serious and 49,263 non-serious.
More than 9.45 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been given in New Zealand.
"The protective benefits of vaccination against Covid-19 far outweigh the potential risks of vaccination," Medsafe said.
"That is not because steps have been missed but because the layers of bureaucracy and restricted funding were removed virtually overnight and companies that normally compete with each other collaborated instead.
"The technology was already available."
The Hawke's Bay couple said they enjoyed feeling part of a "big family" at the protest.
They had a small group of supportive friends but still felt like outcasts in wider society.
"Most people here feel isolated in their normal lives. Here it is the opposite, here we are a big family, we feel safe. I've never felt anything like it. People don't want to leave and they won't."
The couple wanted the Government to remove all pandemic-related restrictions and for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to resign, and didn't see people leaving the site voluntarily.
"The only way would be to bring in the military, but they don't want to do that.
"The horse has bolted, there are too many people and thousands more are coming.
"People here have lost their jobs, split their marriages, divided their families – they have nothing left to lose. This is the final straw."
Another protester said he'd arrived this morning on a one-way flight from Auckland and collected a donated tent to sleep in.
This protester was at Parliament with a syringe ear ring. Photo / Mike Scott
One couple said they'd come from Palmerston North - and would return each weekend.
They were camping in a garden down Aitken St next to the Court of Appeal, among dozens of others.
The numbers on site have grown even since Friday. Today, a tent was seen pitched by the duck pond in the Botanical Gardens.
The atmosphere has changed significantly from a week ago, with more families and children on-site, along with Wellington residents who don't support the protest but came to look, a Herald reporter said.
"We support the right to protest," a resident said.
"But it's sad the university has had to close for eight weeks, and the impact it has had on some local businesses and commuters."
Protesters appeared to be settling in for the long haul - a herb garden had been planted and a protester was erecting a shower near Wellington Cenotaph.
The shower, initially hard against the cenotaph before the protester moved it, sparked outrage online after initially being mistaken for a toilet. The RSA has been contacted for comment.
This shower was being built against the Wellington Cenotaph, which commemorates New Zealand's war dead, before being moved away. Photo / George Heard
Slogans and drawings on the cenotaph by protesters also raised tempers online, and one protester told others on a loud speaker this morning the graffiti should be cleaned off.
Police commissioner Andrew Coster and Foster, Wellington's mayor, continue to face heat over a lack of action at the site.
In the absence of a plan from police, Foster needed to step up and advocate for Wellingtonians, and put forward a solution, Wellington mayoral candidate Tory Whanau said today.
"Police have portrayed our options as either full escalation or total appeasement. In reality there is a pragmatic middle ground that the mayor and police could be pursuing.
"The mayor needs to show some leadership and advocate for Wellingtonians whose freedom to move safely about the city, access the university and workplaces is being denied."
Foster confirmed he'd had several conversations with his staff and police this morning on the next steps, but wouldn't talk about operational details..
Yesterday, Coster announced police wouldn't pursue any enforcement action against protesters despite the protest site growing by the day.
The majority of demonstrators were peaceful and protest groups had established some internal discipline, Coster said.
He also backtracked on an earlier pledge to start towing vehicles from occupied streets around Parliament, saying that would only escalate tensions.
"We needed to explore the option of that and test what the reaction would be. That approach would have been provocative and unhelpful."
Tents have increasingly taken over Parliament grounds since anti-mandate protesters came to the capital call for an end to Covid-19 vaccination mandates, and raise other grievances. Photo / Mike Scott
Instead, a traffic management plan, coupled with de-escalation tactics, would be the police focus, Coster said.
Meanwhile, a group of 29 Wellington mayors, school principals, councillors and MPs have called for the illegal protest activities in and around Parliament to end.
But others have voiced support for the protesters, including reality TV personality Gilda Kirkpatrick, musician Jason Kerrison and former Team New Zealand and Oracle yachtsman Sir Russell Coutts.
