Parliament occupation cost police $3.7 million

WELLINGTON: Police spent $3.7 million responding to the occupation at Parliament in February that also resulted in more than 150 officers being injured, official documents show.

The 23day occupation, which ended with a riot on March 3, was originally reported to have cost just over $2.5 million, but new documents show it was significantly more.

It began with a convoy from around the country and developed into antimandate protesters setting up a ``village'' on Parliament grounds, refusing to leave despite being trespassed.

The protest came to a fiery end with blazes being set amid the camp and police moving in to clear the area.

They were met with violent resistance, with rioters throwing bricks and pavers, badly injuring some officers.

Other items thrown included ``potential bodily fluids'', milk and a ``liquid that caused a burning sensation'' said the report.

The new information from police showed more than $1 million was spent on accommodation alone.

Between February 9 and March 13, 2309 staff contributed to cover the protest including officers brought in from outside the region.

Another $1 million was spent on staff expense claims, and hundreds of thousands more were spent on travel and food.

Half a million was spent on hiring equipment.

Police staff sustained 154 injuries over the course of the protest, 47 of which required medical attention. These injuries included four fractures, 12 openwound injuries and seven concussions.

The majority of the injuries happened on March 2.

It was revealed in the report that 92 officers reported testing positive for Covid19 during the protest period.

The new information also showed police received reports of 63 threats against MPs, of which one was a bomb threat and two involved threats to kill MPs with guns.

According to the new information, a total of 110 arrests were made. The majority were for willfully trespassing, with 61 arrests, and obstructing police, with 29 arrests. —