Police on watch as Tamaki plans Parliament protest
Police will be monitoring a protest led by Destiny Church’s Brian Tamaki that intends marching through central Wellington before staging a mock trial at Parliament.
New details have emerged of the rally, set for August 23, that will see protesters assemble at Civic Square before marching to Parliament where they will hold a “people’s court”.
Police yesterday said they were aware of the planned protest but would not say if they were in talks with Tamaki about the day.
“We recognise the lawful right to protest,” a spokesperson said.
“Police will be monitoring the event and will be working to ensure there is limited disruption to the wider public.”
The Freedom and Rights Coalition, a vocal opponent of the Government’s pandemic vaccination mandates and laws, has posted a timetable of the day’s protest action, summoning people to leave work and attend the trial.
It says the defendants are the New Zealand Government and that they are facing “crimes against humanity”.
The mock hearing is set to have a verdict delivered by the people at 1.30pm, on a day the House is sitting.
The day is pitched as a means to get New Zealand back again with a declared aim of removing the Labour Government from office.
“You have been served,” reads the post.
It adds: “Kiwis are urged to seek leave from work for jury service on this history-making day!”
The capital protest is regarded as the culmination of earlier disruptive protests in recent weeks, with a rally in July bringing the busiest section of Auckland’s motorway network grind to a halt without warning.
Police are yet to lay charges against anyone who walked on Auckland’s Southern Motorway stopping traffic for about an hour on a busy Saturday morning.
A police spokesperson said inquiries were continuing into the July 23 protest.
More demonstrations are planned across the country this weekend before people are urged to drive from either end of the country in a protest convoy on Monday, August 22.
It’s been six months since a tumultuous end to a 23-day occupation of Parliament grounds.
Hundreds of protesters who had set up a shantytown clashed with police in a fiery and violent day on which cobblestones were ripped from footpaths and hurled towards officers and tents were set alight.
Eighty-seven people were arrested for a range of offences, including wilful trespass, possession of restricted weapons, obstruction, wilful damage, assaulting police, and refusing to provide identifying details. Seven officers were injured as police attempted to shut down the protest.
Tamaki is still facing charges over breaching Covid public health orders last year. The self-styled apostle faces four charges of intentionally failing to comply with Covid-19 orders.