Despicable scenes at Parliament

The behaviour of the mob of remaining protesters at Parliament is appalling. It doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree with them on vaccine mandates. Some of them should be going to jail for what has become a violent riot. Their actions include:

• Setting the playground slide on fire
• Multiple fires elsewhere
• Throwing bricks at the Police
• Exploding LPG cannisters on the fires
• Attempts at molotov cocktails
• Ripping up paving stones to use as weapons

And don’t even try to peddle the conspiracy nonsense that those who did this are ANTIFA infiltrators. About as credible as the fake moon landings.

Protesting against vaccine mandates was a very valid cause. The refusal of the Government to set out criteria when the mandates will end, meant that many of those affected thought they had to protest and even occupy. But again no matter how much one might sympathise with their cause, can justify their actions.

The nature of the protest has changed over the three weeks, In the first day or two it was very confrontational. But then it did change into more of a hippie type occupation and there was a huge diversity of people there ranging from Green Party voters to Advance NZ voters. But in the last week it changed again and a lot of those remaining were the more confrontational ones, and today they basically rioted.

A number of police officers have been injured, and the Police have a tough enough job without having people throw bricks and stones at them. I hope those who did so are identified and charged.