Police say working collaboratively with anti-vaccine mandate protesters outside Parliament may be the best way to reduce disruption.
Protesters' vans and cars blocking the corner of Molesworth St and Hill St outside Parliament grounds, and tarpaulin awnings set up on the footpath. Photo: RNZ
As the anti-vaccination protest within the grounds of Parliament wraps up its seventh day, police are now focusing on removing illegally parked vehicles in the surrounding area.
Police said parking for the protesters would be available at Sky Stadium from 6.30 tonight.
Police have been in contact with the army to discuss what equipment they might have to move protesters' vehicles.
Superintendent Corrie Parnell said the vehicle owners they were able to talk were quite receptive to the idea of moving their vehicles to the Sky Stadium
He said there was some success earlier in the day in moving vehicles from the nearby bus hub.
His message to vehicle owners was to come to the table.
Parnell said he was very confident that communications with protest leaders would be maintained.
However, he said there were different agendas at play in the protest and ongoing resistance was likely.
He said Wellington residents had had enough of the protest and police were planning for every contingency.
There are no plans yet to use the Defence Force to remove protesters' cars parked illegally near Parliament.
However, Parnell admitted police had spoken with Defence about what resourcing it could offer.
In a post-Cabinet briefing, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in her view the protest had stepped beyond merely a protest, with harassment of others causing the inability of others in Wellington to move around freely.
She said those on the forecourt of Parliament wanted to see the removal of all public health measures - the very measures that had kept New Zealand safe. "You'll forgive me if I take a very strong view on that suggestion."
Ardern said concerns about loss of business in Wellington CBD, and the protests having led to a loss of business, had been passed on to the police and they had focused on clearing areas that would allow traffic again.
"It's moved beyond sharing a view to intimidation and harassment of the people around central Wellington. That cannot be tolerated and pleased to be advised from police that they're taking steps to address that, but ultimately the management of the protest is for police."
Asked if she was concerned someone might bring a weapon onto Parliament grounds, Ardern said her concern was the safety of everyone who lived and worked in that part of Wellington.
