New Zealand police arrest 8 anti-COVID mandate demonstrators

By Islamuddin Sajid

ANKARA (AA) - At least eight of the hundreds of protesters staging a sit-in on New Zealand parliament's grounds in Wellington for two weeks were arrested on Monday, police said.

"Seven people were arrested for disorderly behaviour and one for obstruction," New Zealand police said on Twitter. "Anyone abusing or intimidating members of the public can expect to be arrested, removed and face charges."

The force said some officers also had human waste thrown over them by protesters. "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 said the type of behaviors they saw in the past few days show that "genuine protesters are no longer in control of the behaviour in and around Parliament," adding that seven officers sustained injuries during the operation.

The protesters argue that compulsory vaccination orders violate their basic rights, and want the government to withdraw all COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said vaccine mandates will be lifted once the country is past the worst of the omicron outbreak.

In a press conference after a Cabinet meeting, she said: "We all want to go back to the way that life was, and we will. I suspect sooner than you think, but it would be when easing restrictions won't compromise the lives of thousands of people. Not because you demanded it."

Ardern refused to give a specific date, and said the government will do so when "we are well beyond the peak and pressure on our health system is manageable."

COVID-19 infections in New Zealand are currently rising. The island nation confirmed 2,230 new cases in the past 24 hours, pushing the total caseload to 33,317. Nearly 80% of the entire population is fully vaccinated.