Protesters continued to demonstrate against New Zealand’s COVID-19 mandates on Saturday. Authorities used water cannons and loudspeakers in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
Marty Melville / AFP via Getty Images
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Marty Melville / AFP via Getty Images
Protesters continued to demonstrate against New Zealand’s COVID-19 mandates on Saturday. Authorities used water cannons and loudspeakers in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
Marty Melville / AFP via Getty Images
Authorities in Wellington, New Zealand, are getting creative in their efforts to disperse crowds of anti-government protesters, who have not budged for nearly a week.
After trying out direct calls and implementing a sprinkler system, they are turning to hit songs by Barry Manilow, James Blunt and others.
Hundreds of people protest against government regulations on masks and vaccines to the capital last week. They set up camp outside Congress when lawmakers returned from their summer break, and have been blocking traffic and gathering on the streets ever since.
Superintendent Corrie Parnell, Commander of Wellington County, say on monday that the disruption to residents, schools and workplaces is “generating real stress and concern.”
“We continue to urge protesters to leave the rally and bring their children – it was wet and cold overnight, and we are now concerned about the health risks and hygiene issues.” “, added Parnell.
There were about 3,000 protesters over the weekend, with an ongoing presence of 400 to 500 people in tents at the plantation and surrounding streets, Radio New Zealand reported.
Police said on Monday that some protesters had moved their vehicles overnight and were directing them to a newly designated parking lot at Sky Stadium.
The plea follows a series of attempts – both direct and indirect – to get the protesters to leave.
The staff tried to forcefully clean up the bases on ThursdayArrested more than 120 protesters but failed to disperse the crowds significantly.
“Police have identified a range of different causes and motives among protesters, making it very difficult to open up clear and meaningful lines of communication,” Parnell said. tomorrow.
Trevor Mallard, speaker of the New Zealand House of Commons, activated the fountains of Parliament on Friday, the fourth day of the protest.
Follow to RNZ, some protesters responded by digging trenches to try to divert water to nearby sewers. The tents and their occupants remained in place, even as a downpour turned the ground to mud.
On the fifth day, what does Mallard begin? RNZ described such as “the war of the speakers” when he began playing a 15-minute round of Barry Manilow’s music (including “Mandy”), Los del Río’s “Macarena”, and the COVID-19 vaccine ad over the side speaker. in the Parliament buildings. News store Content Report The tunes are selected from a list of the world’s 25 most hated songs.
The music was met with boos and Twisted Sister’s 1984 song “We Not Gonna Take It,” CNN notes became a kind of national anthem of Canadian truckers who launched the movement with Similar protests end of last month.
Mallard’s playlists have grown in recent days, with RNZ Report it now includes an inappropriate tune demonstration tape recorder in “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion. It also has catchy children’s songs, like frozen“Let It Go” and “Baby Shark,” CNN added.
British musician James Blunt launched his own catalog in a tweet, shared a BBC story about Manilow music and told New Zealand Police: “Shout me if this doesn’t work.” Mallard brought him up on offer.
RNZ report that Blunt’s “You’re Beautiful” had been played so many times that the protesters now knew most of the words and were singing along.
This tactic caused a stir around the world and caused mixed reactions.
Mallard said to Stuff last weekend that the people around were consulted about the plan and were supportive. He said their lives have been disrupted by the protests, and some have even gone to stay with friends.
“And one of them is a fan of Barry Manilow,” he added.
Some opposition lawmakers and police authorities have Criticize this movedescribes it as childish and says it will only motivate opponents to stay.
Parnell told RNZ it was “certainly not going to be a tactic or a methodology that we would endorse, and that’s what we wish it didn’t.”
“But it happened, so we had to deal with what we had in front of us.”
This story originally appeared on the Morning version live blogs.
