Coronavirus: NZ anti-vaccine mandate protest enters day 7; South Korea to offer fourth vaccine dose
- Protesters continue to display Trump and Canadian flags as the demonstration continues in front of parliament in Wellington
- Elsewhere, South Korea set to offer residents second booster shot, while Vietnam to lift international flight restrictions for vaccinated passengers
New Zealand’s prime minister on Monday said protesters opposing coronavirus mandates were using “intimidation and harassment”, as authorities appeared to take a harsher stance toward the convoy of demonstrators that has disrupted the capital of Wellington for a week.
Hundreds of protesters continue to occupy lawns in front of the distinctive ‘Beehive’ parliament for a seventh day, ignoring repeated calls by the police to leave and undeterred by drenching rain from a cyclone over the weekend.
Claiming inspiration from truckers’ anti-vaccine mandate demonstrations in Canada, the protesters have also blocked several streets around parliament with their trucks, vans and motorcycles.
“It feels like an imported protest to me,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told state broadcaster TVNZ in an interview.
“I’ve seen Trump flags on the forecourt, I’ve seen Canadian flags on the forecourt,” she said, referring to images of former US President Donald Trump carried by some demonstrators as well as the situation in Canada.
“Children and young people on their way to school are being abused. Businesses are seeing people occupy their spaces. There are signs down there calling for the death of politicians. We all want them to leave,” the leader said.
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Anti-vaccine protesters clash with New Zealand police outside parliament
Ardern said it appeared the protesters were not interested in a dialogue.