There were large police forces in the vicinity of the Parliament in Wellington.
About 3,000 people, most of whom weren’t wearing face masks, marched through downtown Wellington. They were joined by dozens of motorcyclists.
Protesters also included Maori, who have been severely quarantined, and teachers who could lose their jobs if they refuse to be vaccinated.
Several protesters carried Trump 2020 flags, while others had posters criticizing Prime Minister Jindind Ardern and the media accused of spreading lies.
The demonstration in parliament was peaceful and the people then dispersed.
Police said no one was detained in Wellington, but expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that so many protesters had not complied with epidemiological safety rules.
Police found a police officer bitten during a small demonstration near Auckland.
Ardern told reporters that the protests did not reflect the views of most New Zealanders, and most supported the government’s response to the pandemic.
The Prime Minister said that almost 90% of the population had already received the first pot against Covid-19.
The Ardern government has responded to the pandemic by imposing strict quarantine regimes, close surveillance of contacts and closing borders. As a result of this “zero covenant” policy, there are only 31 Covid-19-related deaths in New Zealand.
But last month, the prime minister acknowledged that the policy was no longer viable due to the delta variant found in Auckland in August. Ardern said the country’s goal of eradicating Covid-19 had been changed to reduce the prevalence of Covid-19 in the community by boosting vaccination.
The people of Auckland have been under quarantine since mid-August, and Ardern announced this week that the quarantine would remain in place until the end of November.
The Prime Minister has promised to allow more freedom, including the lifting of quarantine regimes, when 90% of the population will be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Unvaccinated people will continue to face restrictions on employment, travel and leisure.
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