Covid 19 Wellington protest: Fears Parliament protesters heading to other cities

There are fears protestors moved on from Parliament grounds are heading to other cities around the country.

The Mayor of Christchurch is worried about the prospect of Wellington protesters moving to Cranmer Square.

Some protesters ejected from outside Parliament are understood to be planning to head south.

Protestors were still set up in Christchurch's Cranmer Square on Friday. Photo / Supplied

They're not expected to arrive for at least several more days, and organisers of the Cranmer Square occupation have said they won't allow any abusive or violent behaviour.

But speaking to Newstalk ZB's John MacDonald, Lianne Dalziel said she was concerned.

"The group that we hear is coming from Wellington - we want to make sure that they do not set up here in Christchurch.

"When you look at the melting pot of disrespect and violence that broke out in Wellington -- that's what we don't want to see repeated in Christchurch."

There were still a large amount of people camped out in Christchurch on Friday morning.

Four portaloos had been set up as well as a trampoline.

Meanwhile, protesters occupying Picton's Nelson Square are being told it's time to go home.

The Picton occupation could be next to face law enforcement, with police bolstering numbers since Wednesday.

Marlborough Mayor John Leggett said there's always a possibility of a repeat of Wellington's unrest, but he's hoping it won't come to that.

"We're very hopeful there's going to be a peaceful outcome."

Leggett said police have made it clear they will act if needed.

He said when people move from being a protester, to an occupier, to a rioter - that's where they'll draw the line.

"There's consequences if that area isn't vacated in the next few days. I'm quite sure of that."

The Wellington protest may have come to an end but police still have work to do around the country at the other sites being occupied by anti-vaccine and anti-mandate groups.

Camps of protesters still remain in Christchurch, Dunedin and Picton and police have confirmed they are monitoring each site and will take action if and when necessary to prevent any situation similar to Wellington.

But they won't need to bother with the Auckland Domain group - who have packed up and left their camp voluntarily.

Picton is likely the first site to face any forward push by law enforcement, with officers being called in from around New Zealand to "bolster" local numbers on the front line.

The Picton protest site. Photo / Facebook

In Wellington on Wednesday, at dawn, on the 23rd day of the protest at Parliament, police moved in to "restore access" to the area.

They aimed to move the people, vehicles, tents and structures covering the surrounding area.

Within about 90 minutes the majority of the crowd had been moved on and all of its infrastructure placards and makeshift kitchens, churches and other sites were pulled to the ground.

Eighty-seven people were arrested and seven police officers injured on a day in which hundreds of officers moved in on the occupation - culminating in a mid-afternoon swarming of Parliament's grounds.

Some protesters set tents alight as they were shunted off Parliament's lawn by riot police, leading to frightening scenes in front of the Beehive.

Twenty-four hours later the Auckland protest disbanded.

The site where protesters were camping out in Auckland. It appears most people have packed up and left. PHoto / NZH

Police closed roads into the Domain but it appears the small group who had been protesting moved on voluntarily.

Auckland Council confirmed the roads had been reopened to the public "following a successful operation ... to remove the protest encampment that has been occupying part of the public land since Saturday".

Mayor Phil Goff said that the encampment was removed without confrontation or aggression.

"I have been in regular contact with police and the Government to ensure a successful resolution, and our compliance staff have worked closely with police to achieve this outcome," he said.

"Thank you to the police officers and our compliance team for their efforts and for working in a coordinated way to ensure a safe end to the unlawful occupation.

"The right to protest is a fundamental part of our democracy, however that does not give anyone the right to consider themselves above the law.

"Nobody is entitled to camp on the Auckland Domain and to use their vehicles to obstruct access by other members of the public to a public space."

It is understood the Picton site may be the next to face enforcement action.

Protesters at Picton have been told to 'hit the road' by the local mayor. Photo / Facebook

A number of protesters have been camped at Nelson Square since February 7.

They were given trespass notices after being on the site for about 10 days but many have refused to leave.

Anti-mandate protest camp in Cranmer Square, Christchurch. Photo / Hamish Clark

The Herald has learned police from across the South Island at least have been redeployed to Picton.

The clean up on Parliament lawn starts after the 23-day protest. Photo / NZH

A police spokesperson said the Tasman District staff were continually monitoring the ongoing activity.

"Police recognise people have a right to peaceful protest, however, we also recognise our community has the right to feel safe," the spokesperson said.

"To ensure we have a visible presence for reassurance and to ensure staff are able to respond any issues that may arise, police have bolstered staffing numbers in the district into the Picton area.

"We continue to proactively engage with organisers and hope a peaceful end to the protest will be reached."

In the middle of the chaos, Herald photographers captured unprecedented scenes at the protest. Photo / Mike Scott

In Christchurch and Dunedin, and many other places, police were keeping a close eye on protesters.

"Police around the country have observed small numbers of people gathering, often in front of police stations, to protest," said the spokesperson.

"Police respects the lawful right to protest and these groups have not caused any issues, typically dispersing on their own after an hour or so.

"A handful of smaller protest camps remain in parts of the country other than Wellington, and police continue to monitor these sites and will respond to any issues as they arise."