Video shows group storming Auckland office in apparent land claim

The footage was uploaded to activist John Wanoa's YouTube channel and shows staff being pushed out by force. Photo / YouTube

A man has been arrested and others trespassed for storming an Auckland office and forcefully dragging out employees in an apparent land claim.

A video has also emerged showing the group of uniformed men entering the Tournament Parking office at City Works Depot, a business and entertainment complex on Cook St, on Monday afternoon.

Staff were seen being forcefully removed from the office as the men shouted: "You gotta move ... assisted or non-assisted. It's up to you."

The group responsible were hired by activist and self-proclaimed "surrogate king" John Wanoa, who uploaded the video on his YouTube channel.

Police told the New Zealand Herald investigations were continuing into the incident, in which the group of men entered the premises claiming sovereignty of the location.

"Police are now following several positive lines of enquiry in relation to the identity and location of those involved in the incident," a police spokeswoman said.

She urged those who had concerns as to the ownership of property to use the correct legal channels, including calling police, and not take the law into their own hands.

A Tournament staff member at the office told the Herald the company did not want to comment on the incident, and neither did any of the workers.

However, a worker at a neighbouring office said he was smoking outside the building when he saw the group of men wearing black shirts saying federal marshal walk into the building.

"Police soon arrived and the men left, it was over very quickly," he said.

"But when I walked in I can see that some of the staff were pretty traumatised."

Police said one man linked to the group was arrested in the carpark after he refused to give his personal details to police.

City Works Depot, which is owned by Tournament Parking, hosts restaurants, grooming salons, craft beer bars, florists and business offices.

Tenants include Best Ugly Bagels, the Food Truck Garage, Al Brown & Co and Bauer Media.

Police said on the day the occupation was by a group of aggrieved Maori who believed there was grievance with the land.

In the video, one male worker was seen refusing to leave his desk, which prompted the group to make several physical attempts while others stalled for time while they called police.

In the full version of the video, the men were seen planning their entry outside the premises and told to confiscate cards and keys from staff before sending them out.

Wanoa said on the YouTube page that he had contracted "UN Federal Marshals" for the eviction.

"The surprising fact is that no one was arrested and no one made a public complaint," he claimed on the page.

"Which draws attention to police not taking any action because we had pre arranged this sheriff land seizure with the CIB Criminal Investigation Bureau and Auckland Central Police Station before carrying out the sheriff confiscation of this land."

Most of the 112 comments made as of last night were not supportive of Wanoa, with some calling him an "embarrassment to Maori" and others saying he had broken the law.