Covid 19 Omicron: Naked protester 'traumatised' by police actions at parliament

Still from video of a naked female protestor outside Parliament being dragged by her hair from the crowd before being led away. Photo / Faccebook

A female protester pulled naked by the hair from the protest at Parliament is said to be traumatised by the incident.

Footage sent to the Herald shows two police officers dragging the woman from the crowd on Parliament's front lawn yesterday.

She's then pinned to the ground and handcuffed, before being covered in a white blanket and led away by police.

Brett Power, the Taranaki Regional Council candidate who himself was arrested at the protest on Wednesday, says he's spoken to the woman's mother who described her daughter as "traumatised".

"Anyone would be traumatised to be beaten up like that. It's not something we expect in New Zealand."

Power was speaking on a live feed being run by the protesters.

He can be seen sitting on a park bench outside Parliament grounds, unable to go back in following his arrest.

Power said he was now spending his time preparing a case against police, a private prosecution, to fight the hundreds of arrests made over the past few days.

He said they would be gathering at the Wellington District Court at 10am on Monday and would be pleading not guilty to the charges against them.

Power said there was no legality to the arrests, and they had plenty of evidence thanks to video taken of the protest.

"We have the right to be on these grounds. Come, we need people here, that's what gives us safety in numbers and makes the point. But come peacefully, this is a peaceful protest. We will do no damage, no harm."

Last Friday, Power tried to lay a complaint against Health Minister Andrew Little at the New Plymouth police station. He called for his arrest for "continuing crime" through the Covid-19 vaccine programme.

Protesters angry about Covid-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates have occupied parliament grounds for four days now, and have been trespassed by the Government.