Six people have been arrested as police cleared the site of a long-running protest occupation at Māhanga Bay in Wellington.
The police cordon at Māhanga Bay. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Police moved in on the site this morning, after issuing a trespass notice on 24 May which took effect the following evening.
Up to 50 people had been living there, some who had moved there after the occupation at Parliament ended in rioting.
Police said they made fresh appeals to about 15 occupiers to leave.
They said most did so without incident, but six people were arrested - four accused of trespass, one of obstruction, and one for a warrant.
Transport vans and other vehicles at the police cordon blocking the road to the Māhanga Bay occupation. Photo: RNZ
An RNZ reporter at the scene said four hired transport vans, and a truck with a digger on the were at a police cordon. Workers in what appeared to be cleaning overalls were let through.
One protest vehicle was escorted through, while another protester has parked his car and after waiting for about 30 minutes was driven by police to the site.
Police said they escorted people back into the site to retrieve their property.
Contractors would be used to help clear the site, property would be stored securely and arrangements made for owners to retrieve it, they said. Once the site is cleared, it would be returned to the owners.
A Wellington ambulance vehicle was let through the cordon on the road to the Māhanga Bay occupation site on Thursday morning. Photo: RNZ / Hamish Cardwell
Police said they had worked to connect the occupiers with Kahungunu Whānau Services to ensure appropriate support was in place for those who may need it once they left Māhanga Bay.
