2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

Search Sign In

World · Photos

Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten

cordon around anti-mandate convoy

PM Jacinda Ardern says protesters had taken things too far, needed to return
home

The Associated Press · Posted: Feb 22, 2022 12:43 PM ET | Last Updated: 7 hours ago

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 1/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

A person is arrested as police and protesters clash in Wellington, New Zealand, on Tuesday. One protester
drove a car toward a police line, narrowly avoiding officers, while other protesters sprayed officers with a
stinging substance, police said, as they tightened a cordon around a convoy that has been camped outside
Parliament for two weeks. (George Heard/New Zealand Herald/The Associated Press)

1 of 7

One protester drove a car toward a New Zealand police line, narrowly avoiding
officers, while other protesters sprayed officers with a stinging substance, police
said Tuesday, as they tightened a cordon around a convoy that has been
camped outside Parliament for two weeks.

The clashes in the capital of Wellington came a day after police reported that
some of the protesters had thrown human feces at them.

Police Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers told reporters the actions of

some of the protesters, who oppose coronavirus vaccine mandates, were
unacceptable and would be dealt with assertively.

"Our focus remains on opening the roads up to Wellingtonians and doing our
absolute best to restore peaceful protest," Chambers said. "The behaviour of a
certain group within the protest community is absolutely disgraceful."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 2/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said protesters had taken things too far and
needed to return home. "What's happening in Wellington is wrong," she said.

Officers recovering after being sprayed

The latest clashes began after about 250 officers and staff arrived at dawn and
used forklifts to move concrete barriers into a tighter cordon around the
encampment, where hundreds of cars and trucks remain blocking city streets.
Police have used the barriers this week to allow protest cars to leave but none to
enter.

Video posted online shows a white car driving the wrong way down a one-way
street toward a group of officers who quickly get out of the way while people
shout. The vehicle comes to a stop at the police line and several officers climb
inside and pull out the driver.

New Zealand Police @nzpolice · Feb 21, 2022

Replying to @nzpolice
Some officers are equipped with shields, in order to protect
themselves from objects thrown by protesters, such as human waste.

A large number of protesters have attempted to obstruct police from

moving the concrete barriers.

New Zealand Police

@nzpolice

At least three officers require medical attention after

being sprayed with an unknown substance by protesters.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 3/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM
g p Clashes
y intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate
yp convoy | CBC News

One person has been arrested after attempting to drive a

car into a group of police officers.
2:33 PM · Feb 21, 2022

262 Reply Share

Read 39 replies

Police said the officers had been lucky to escape injury after the car stopped just
short of colliding with them. They said they had arrested one person for driving
in a dangerous manner and two others for obstructing police.

Chambers said the three officers who were sprayed with the unknown stinging
substance had been treated at a hospital and were recovering well.

The protest, which began when a convoy of cars and trucks drove to Parliament,
was inspired by similar protests in Canada. Protesters have been well organized,
setting up tents on the lawns outside Parliament and trucking in portable toilets,
crates of donated food, and bales of straw to lay down when the grass turned to
mud after Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard turned on the sprinklers and
blasted Barry Manilow tunes in a failed effort to make them leave.

Protests come amid COVID-19 outbreak

Protesters have even dug a vegetable garden, set up a daycare tent, and
assembled makeshift showers as they signal their intent to stay for a long time.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 4/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

New Zealand has mandated that certain workers get vaccinated against COVID-
19, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel. A vaccine
pass is also required to enter most stores and restaurants.

New Zealand moves to end Canada-inspired convoy protest

The protests come as New Zealand experiences its first big COVID-19 outbreak,
which has been fuelled by the omicron coronavirus variant. Daily case numbers
jumped to a new high of more than 2,800 on Tuesday, although only a single
patient was hospitalized in an intensive care unit. About 77 per cent of the
population is vaccinated.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, New Zealand has reported just 56 virus
deaths among its population of five million, after it imposed strict border
controls and lockdowns to eliminate earlier outbreaks.

Ardern said earlier this week she plans to begin easing virus mandates and
restrictions once the peak of the current outbreak has passed.

Your daily guide to the coronavirus outbreak. Get the latest news, tips on prevention and
your coronavirus questions answered every evening.

Email address:

Enter your email address Subscribe

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 5/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

Popular Now in News

1 Convoy leader Pat King to hear bail decision Friday as woman puts up $50K in support
1061 reading now

2 These wilderness seekers plan to live in 'medieval villages' in Ontario's north despite opposition
878 reading now

3 Frito-Lay stops shipping chips to Loblaws stores in pricing dispute

802 reading now

4 Trudeau announces sanctions on Russia as Moscow ramps up pressure on Ukraine

738 reading now

5 Most bank accounts frozen under the Emergencies Act are being released, committee hears
536 reading now

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU ?

Ottawa convoy protest Convoy leader Pat King to hear Ontario to scrap vehicle How a council meltdown let
organizer Tamara Lich denied bail decision Friday as woman licence renewal fees, down a city in crisis
bail puts up $50K in support requirement for stickers
Joanne Chianello
News - Canada - Ottawa News - Canada - Ottawa News - Canada - Toronto News - Canada - Ottawa

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 6/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

Frito-Lay stops shipping chips to Loblaws stores in pricing dispute

Brett Bundale

News - Business

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 7/8
2/22/22, 8:31 PM Clashes intensify as New Zealand police tighten cordon around anti-mandate convoy | CBC News

©2022 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved.

Visitez Radio-Canada.ca

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-protests-convoy-mandate-1.6360246 8/8