Covid 19 coronavirus: hundreds of people participate in anti-lockdown protests

Police were present across New Zealand today when hundreds turned out for demonstrations against the closure.

A large crowd filled Auckland’s Aotea Square this afternoon despite the city being at alert level 2.5, restricting gatherings to a maximum of 10 people.

Banners that read “Fight for your rights and your freedom” and “No more confinements” were waved, while a child protester held up a placard showing Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as Adolf Hitler.

Other protests took place in Whangarei, Wellington, New Plymouth, Tauranga, Rotorua, Nelson, and Christchurch.

Police monitored the protest events and took “an educational approach with attendees and organizers when necessary,” said Deputy Commissioner Richard Chambers.

“Police monitoring the protest action across the country today was satisfied with the levels of compliance.

“It was a pleasure to see the organizers of today’s protests go out of their way to ensure that participants met the level 2 guidelines.”

No enforcement action was required.

Chambers added that while police recognize people’s legal right to protest, they will continue to encourage protesters to adhere to the current Covid-19 alert level 2 restrictions and “do their part” to help prevent the spread of the virus. .

Ardern yesterday urged New Zealanders to stick to social distancing and other coronavirus rules over the weekend. He said there would be a “very visible” police presence in places where people congregate, including bars and restaurants.

Today in Rotorua, many of the protesters claimed to be supporters of the Advance NZ political party.

The posters they carried covered a variety of topics including “freedom is essential”, “it’s not about your health, it’s about control”, “pedophilia is the real virus” and “ban 1080”.

One of the organizers, Crystaline Verhagen, said the protest was a freedom march for all of Rotorua.

“He’s against the blockade and it’s about our freedom to be able to choose if we want vaccines, if we want 5G and if we want to be locked in,” Verhagen said.

“It’s just flu season, there is no need for lockdowns, no need for masks. People are actually killing themselves wearing masks because they are inhaling their own toxins.

“[The Government] They just want us all sick, that’s why they ask us to do it, to get sicker. If the masks work, why should we be separated by two meters? I have not taken medicine for 30 years and we are healthy people, we do not get vaccinated and filter the water. “