Protesters to face prosecution charges after halting motorway traffic in Auckland – صحيفة الصوت

• Protests have been held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch on Saturday, organised by the Freedoms & Rights Coalition.
• The anti-government demonstrations were designed to cause traffic disruption in these three centres.
• Protesters marched along a section of State Highway 1 in Auckland, between Mt Eden and Newmarket, closing the route to traffic for a time.
• More than 1000 people took part in Auckland, with hundreds present in Wellington and Christchurch.

Auckland Police anticipate a number of people will face prosecution charges for entering the motorway system during protest activity earlier on Saturday.

About 1000 people gathered at Auckland Domain, set off on a march at 11.20am, heading towards the Southern Motorway as part of a protest organised by the Freedoms & Rights Coalition.

After joining it at Mt Eden, the marchers left SH1 at Newmarket, walking under the motorway and rejoined it, heading north at Gillies Ave.

Motorists travelling towards the motorway from Westfield Newmarket were told to turn around.

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Marchers began arriving back at Auckland Domain shortly before 1pm, and motorways in the central city were flowing freely by 2pm.

Graeme Anderson​ Auckland central area commander said now the protest has concluded, police would review the actions of those involved with a view to prosecution for being on the motorway.

“In addition to the offence of pedestrians on the motorway, police noted poor driving decisions by motorists including motorcyclists without helmets, children riding in the back of a Ute, and at least one pedestrian who put themselves at significant risk by moving into a live traffic lane,” Anderson said.

“While the organisers put out a press release the night before, they refused to engage with Auckland police prior to the protest to provide detail about their intended route and did not divulge this information until the protest began.”

Anderson said this was extremely disappointing as it meant police staff and Waka Kotahi had to move quickly to keep all road users in the area safe.

“This was reckless behaviour on part of the organisers and participants. I don’t know why they would think this was a safe act to undertake, and it had the added consequence of causing disruption to members of the community who were just trying to go about their day.”

Approximately 200 protestors gathered in Christchurch and a similar number in Wellington.

There were no arrests in Christchurch and one person will be summoned in Wellington for a driving-related matter.

The Freedoms & Rights Coalition – a Destiny Church-linked group – on Friday said it planned to unite with “Convoy 2022”, which was planning to meet in the major centres from 9am, 10am, and 11am.

Destiny Church leaders Brian and Hannah Tamaki were among the crowd in Auckland, led by a group holding a banner that read: “Labour must go.”

The Freedoms & Rights Coalition Facebook page advertising the event urged Aucklanders: “Get ready to create all manner of mayhem…”

A press release suggested they planned to “cause a major public interruption and disruption”.

They were opposing violence, the cost of living and a stressed health system.