Police spent about $100,000 on reinforcements to counter a mass Freedom and Rights Coalition protest that threatened to cross Auckland Harbour Bridge, the Herald can reveal.
The anti-immigration rally attracted 1200 protesters and was headed by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki in January this year.
Asked about the police expenditure figures, Tamaki told the Herald he did not regret the protest and made no apologies for the cost to taxpayers.
“Police wasted nearly $100,000 … not me."
Acting Waitematā district commander, Superintendent Matt Laurenson, said police were forced to “set a very clear line in the sand” during the protest and called the operation a success.
Specialist police officers were drafted from across the country after Tamaki threatened to march over the harbour bridge despite repeated warnings of safety risks.
The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) declined an application by the Freedom and Rights Coalition, an umbrella organisation created by Destiny Church in opposition to Covid-19 restrictions, to walk the bridge.
Ahead of the protest, police said they would have a significant presence and would be preventing anyone from attempting to gain access to the bridge.
Auckland motorists were also warned of possible delays to the motorway network and told to consider using alternative routes.
Ultimately, the protesters who gathered at Victoria Park on January 31 did not cross the bridge. Tamaki has since repeatedly denied that they ever intended to march over the structure.
Figures provided to the Herald under the Official Information Act show $40,907.42 was spent on air travel for national officers seconded for the protest, and a further $37,374.65 on “staff travel allowances”.
Accommodation and food cost $14,233.06, but a police spokesperson said they were still awaiting some invoices from staff.
Rental vehicles cost the police $5734.56, tow truck standby services cost $720, and “cleaning” cost $250.
Other charges included “shift change allowances” of $171, “consumables” billed at $118 and parking, the cheapest expense billed, at $13.37.
The Herald also asked police if staff received formal riot training ahead of the protest.
The spokesperson said all staff gathered the night before to receive an operational briefing, health and safety talks and a refresher of “relevant law”.
The officers who responded had already been formally trained in preventing a confrontation between large crowds and police.
“They are also trained to manage the full range of incidents where disorder is occurring, which can range between increased level of tension through to serious disorder and riot.”
Laurenson said the operation set a clear expectation that unlawful access to the bridge by this group and any future groups “would not be facilitated or supported”.
The bridge was not a “suitable or safe environment for protest marches on foot”.
Although police would always work with groups to allow their right to peaceful and lawful protest, this situation was “unique” and required the deployment of additional officers to ensure the safety of all those involved.
In a statement, Tamaki said he had no regrets, as he had previously informed police that protesters would not attempt to cross the harbour bridge and had no intention of breaking the law.
He said his “peaceful” movement was met with excessive force, and officers took a “hard-line approach” because of what he called a personal bias by police.
“If [Police Minister] Mark Mitchell is serious about frontline policing and responsible spending, he needs to ensure police stop wasting frontline personnel and taxpayer money on excessive operations against peaceful protesters.”
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown declined to comment, saying his views on Destiny Church were well known.
About 1200 people had crowded Victoria Park to listen to Tamaki before making their way to the motorway entrance.
They were met by about 90 officers who formed a firm barricade on the State Highway 1 on and off ramp at Fanshawe St, blocking the crowd from attempting to march across the bridge.
They gathered at the police cordon for about 15 minutes before turning away and returning to the park.
Rachel Maher is an investigative reporter covering Auckland issues and education. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.
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