Police defend handling of youth wage protest

Police push a protester out of Burger King in Queen Street yesterday. Picture / Dean Purcell

Auckland police are defending their actions at yesterday's Radical Youth protest, following criticism by some protesters that they used excessive force.

About 1000 students, many of whom were taking time off school, were involved in the protest, which began at Aotea Square in downtown Auckland yesterday afternoon.

From there students ran down Queen St and staged noisy protests outside McDonald's and Burger King outlets before reaching Custom St.

After police intervention, students marched noisily but peacefully back up Queen St to Aotea Square.

A 17-year-old and 28-year-old were arrested for disorderly behaviour.

The students were supporting a members bill from Green MP Sue Bradford, which would mean people under 16 would be eligible for the same minimum wage as adults.

The bill is expected to have Labour Party support in Parliament.

Simon Oosterman of Unite Union, which has been heavily involved in the campaign against youth rates, said yesterday one police officer had been heavy-handed and unwise to try to shepherd protesters away from the street onto footpaths.

"The real problem was police being disorderly," Mr Oosterman said.

Auckland Central Area Commander Inspector Rob Abbott said the young man who was arrested was putting himself in danger and appeared to deliberately try and prevent the ambulance crew from continuing with their journey along Queen St.

"Because of the way he vigorously resisted being removed from the ambulance, it took four officers to detain him and take him to a safe place where he was handcuffed. He will appear in the Auckland District Court on Friday to face the charge of disorderly behaviour," Mr Abbott said.

"When protest groups act irresponsibly in an ad-hoc manner, they put themselves, other pedestrians and motorists in potentially dangerous situations.

"At one point yesterday, some of these children were running from one scene to another and some tripped and fell. Had a car been unable to stop or had they been trampled by others following them, there could have been some sad repercussions."

Earlier today Council of Trade Unions president Ross Wilson said the impromptu march was nothing but "youthful exuberance".

"Tthese are young people, that's going to happen. People will always make something of the excesses of activity but by and large I think it was a pretty good-natured event," he said.

- NZPA