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Auckland, October 2, 2021
Police say that there have been no arrests or infringements issued after more than 1000 people turned up to an anti-lockdown protest in Auckland’s Domain arranged by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki.
The crowd included gang members and one vehicle with a banner: ‘Let Freedom Reign’.
In a statement, a Police spokesperson said that they were disappointed that the large gathering at Auckland Domain earlier today was not in accordance with the health orders.
“While largely peaceful, the gathering of around 1000 people was in breach of Alert Level 3 restrictions, which limit gatherings to weddings, funerals and tangihanga with no more than 10 people,” she said.
Legal action possible
The spokesperson said that people not observing social distance was a concern.
While the Police respect the lawful right to protest, the prosecution option is being considered.
In the current environment, such a gathering poses a serious risk to those present, including police staff and the wider community, the spokesperson said.
“While many attendees wore masks and attempted to distance, many others failed to wear a face-covering or maintain social distancing – an undertaking given to the Police by organisers earlier in the week,” she said.
People will be angry says Mayor
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff believes most people will be angry that Tamaki went ahead with the protest. He said that more than a million Aucklanders have been following the rules to get out of lockdown.
“There is a risk of a mass gathering of people without masks not two metres apart. That is why we have the protocol; we have the health order and he should not feel that he is above the law. He should follow it the same as everyone else in the community has to do,” he said.
Tamaki in denial
But Tamaki denied claims the crowd put others at risk from Covid-19.
He said that they followed the public health order.
“We kept to the requirements with masks …We might have had the odd one who had to be pulled back in but we had people there so it was good. People kept to their bubbles and it was really safe,” he said.
Police said they took a “prevention-first” approach to the gathering, by engaging with organisers earlier and then deploying staff to monitor the situation.
Protests were also held in Wellington and Christchurch.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said that there were fewer than 100 protesters gathered in Dunedin, in a city where they can hold events for up to 100 people.
-Published under a Special Agreement with www.rnz.co.nz
