Restore Passenger Rail protesters have blocked Glenmore Street in Karori, Wellington. Video / Azaria Howell.
Three Restore Passenger Rail protesters have been taken into police custody after they blocked rush-hour traffic in Wellington’s Karori.
The group sat across a pedestrian crossing on Glenmore St, causing traffic to back up along the road. Buses were blocked in both directions - however, one bus filled with schoolchildren managed to edge past the protest.
Commuters decide to walk after Restore Passenger Rail protesters blocked Glenmore Street in Karori. Photo / Azaria Howell
Members of the public could be heard swearing at the protesters, calling their actions “counter-productive” as cars edged past them on the footpath.
One man who was a passenger on a blocked bus told the protesters they were blocking his way to go and visit his daughter in the hospital, who was receiving chemotherapy.
“You may have time and the money to be able to do this protest and stop a whole lot of other people in a completely undemocratic way, but I need to get somewhere,” he was heard telling the protesters.
A school bus tried to edge past Restore Passenger Rail protesters on Glenmore Street, Karori. Photo / Azaria Howell
Police arrived shortly after the protest began, and unglued several of the protesters from the road before telling them they were under arrest for endangering transport.
The group disrupted traffic all throughout April and is showing few signs of slowing down despite several arrests for endangering traffic and breaching bail.
The protests are so frequent, Wellington police now have a rapid response unit on standby weekday mornings to respond as quickly as possible.
A Restore Passenger Rail protester is dragged away by police after blocking Glenmore Street in Karori. Photo / Azaria Howell
On Monday protesters sat across The Terrace holding a banner - drawing strong criticism from members of the public who were heard to yell and swear at them.
Police and the Parliamentary Service are closely monitoring another planned protest - by Speak Up for Women, planned at Parliament.
The 12.30pm-1.30pm protest comes nearly six weeks after a rally by anti-trans activist Posie Parker was canned in the capital.
Speak Up for Women is a self-described women’s rights group originally formed to oppose changes to legislation enabling people to self-identify their gender on their birth certificate without going to the Family Court. They now focus on matters such as transgender people in sports and single-sex bathrooms.
The Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition has planned a counter-protest, to begin at midday.
