Please attribute to Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers:
Today’s traffic management operation continues Police’s commitment to de-escalate the protest at Parliament grounds.
Operations today have allowed us to close the area to any further vehicles. It has also prevented the movement of further infrastructure onto the site.
We will continue to have staff at each location to restrict further access of vehicles. We have already seen cars, trucks and vans vacate the vicinity.
It is not our desire to interfere with lawful protest, but we are committed to returning the streets of Wellington to Wellingtonians.
This morning’s operation was largely peaceful and without incident. Those protestors who have a genuine interest in lawful protest have not had an issue with today’s developments.
The type of behaviours we have seen in the past few days show that genuine protestors are no longer in control of the behaviour in and around Parliament.
Spillage of effluent into storm water drains, throwing of human waste at police officers, disruption and intimidation at the courts and the University are unacceptable.
Police will continue to move to tackle the negative impacts of the protest on Wellingtonians.
Those who wish to resist Police can expect enforcement action to be taken.
There were no major incidents of note today at the Parliament grounds outside of this morning’s traffic management operation.
Police have had positive engagement with Victoria University and the schools surrounding Parliament today. We want to ensure that students and permanent residents that live within the area and are travelling in and out are safe.
We will continue to be highly visible in and around the protest area particularly at the start and finish of the school/work days.
Staff will continue to be present in and around the protest area this evening and we expect further staff to be deployed tomorrow. Staff involved so far has included Authorised Officers, Maori wardens and Iwi Liaison officers.
Police engagement with key protest leaders has continued today with security and safety being the agreed area of focus.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre