An estimated crowd of more than 4000 people took part in the 'March for Democracy' up Auckland's Queen St yesterday. Photo / Chris Skelton

An estimated crowd of more than 4000 people took part in the 'March for Democracy' up Auckland's Queen St yesterday. Photo / Chris Skelton

Thousands packed Auckland's Queen St yesterday to protest against the Government's refusal to back a citizen-initiated referenda over the so-called anti-smacking law.

A 50-year-old man was charged with disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest after trying to rush those who spoke to the crowd later in the march.

But otherwise the "March for Democracy" had a carnival atmosphere - among an estimated crowd of more than 4000 were drummers, parents with children, and placards.

They had responded to a call to protest against the Government's refusal to act on August's $9 million referendum asking New Zealanders whether smacking should be illegal. Eighty-seven per cent of people who voted said it should not.

Full-time mum Rachel Turner attended the march with two of her six children.

"I think that I'm a loving parent - if I give them a light smack on the bottom I don't want the Government to come into my home and say I'm a criminal for that.

"When 87 per cent of people vote for something in a referendum then the Government should be following through with that."

Aucklander Colin Craig, who funded the march, said the cost ran into "several hundred thousands" of dollars.

Craig and his wife Helen - who have a daughter - own a string of firms that manage high-rise apartment buildings.

"We've made a brilliant start and I'm waiting for the next step," he said.

The march started in Fort St with songs by Yulia Townsend and former New Zealand Idol Ben Lummis, who said he was happy to support the cause.

The crowd then swarmed into Queen St in a march that took over an hour.

They waved placards with slogans such as "Warning: Police State" and "We've been 2 Hell 'n' Clark". Others chanted messages such as "John Key listen to me, we want democracy."

Stanmore Bay businessman Stephen Hobbs said he was there to support "democracy".

"If the referendum asks for something it should happen. There's no point in ignoring it.

"In New Zealand at the moment we have a country being run by minority groups."

Hobbs said New Zealand had a "PC system" that was "frightened to step on the toes of minorities".