Thousands gathered this morning for mass nationwide protests called by the Te Pāti Māori party. The protests were planned against Government policies labelled “anti-Māori”. The hīkoi brought peak-hour traffic to standstills in various parts of the country.
The protests have also spread into the South Island with a protest in Nelson this morning. A hīkoi is planned to meet at Christchurch’s Bridge of Remembrance at 5.30pm.
Te Pāti Māori has signalled today’s protest as possibly one of many this parliamentary term. Police officers have been deployed across districts ahead of the protest. The protests have so far been peaceful. No arrests have been made.
Approval has been given for a 35-home project next to a Havelock North garden store.