Anti-GE protesters move camp

12.45pm

Anti-GE protesters who set up about 20 tents on a grass road verge near Parliament have left after being told it is illegal to camp in central Wellington.

About 40 of the protesters continued their demonstration by sitting on Parliament lawns with several signs.

Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean told NZPA that a council official had told about 70 protesters yesterday that no camping was allowed in the central city.

Campaign spokesman George Darroch yesterday said people from Nelson to Auckland had come to Wellington for the protest. They had planned to stay until the GE moratorium was lifted on Wednesday.

However, Mr MacLean said the group had packed up nearly all their gear by a 10am deadline.

"They've just about all gone. It was all very amicable," he said.

Mr Darroch had said the protest was a way of signalling to the Government they had not given up the fight against release of GE material.

- NZPA