Covid 19 Wellington protest: MPs call out 'shocking and distressing' scenes on Parliament grounds

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and National leader Christopher Luxon are among numerous politicians who have expressed their "anger" and "distress" on social media this afternoon as police stormed Parliament's front lawn to disperse rioting protesters.

Speaking in a press conference, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she is "both angry and deeply saddened" to see Parliament's grounds "desecrated" by protesters as police forced the occupation off the precinct.

While she said police expected hostility, resistance and violence "it is another thing entirely to witness it".

Protesters throw missiles at police after the anti-mandate camp was cleared from the grounds of Parliament. Photo / Michael Neilson

Just after 5.30pm, National leader Christopher Luxon called today's events "shocking and distressing".

"There's no justification for such abhorrent behaviour," he wrote.

What we’ve seen outside Parliament today has been shocking and distressing. There's no justification for such abhorrent behaviour. Very grateful to our brave and selfless police who have done an outstanding job keeping people safe in a dangerous and unpredictable situation.

— Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) March 2, 2022

Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall said it was a "horrible sad day" at Parliament as fires broke out on the front lawn.

Horrible sad day at parliament. Multiple fires being fought on the lawn, objects like fire extinguishers being thrown at police lines. What a tough dangerous job police have to do here.

— Ayesha Verrall (@drayeshaverrall) March 2, 2022

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman took to social media to share images of an "exploding fire" outside people's workplaces, schools, universities and homes.

Images of an exploding fire outside our workplace, by Wellington homes, schools, uni, a place people come to eat lunch in the sun or protest peacefully- - is terrifying and absolutely the violent heart of this occupation exposed https://t.co/rGhm1TVrHA

— Golriz Ghahraman (@golrizghahraman) March 2, 2022

National's Covid-19 response spokesman Chris Bishop said he could smell smoke while working inside Parliament.

Trying to work while the putrid smell of smoke fills our offices at Parliament.

— Christopher GET BOOSTED Bishop (@cjsbishop) March 2, 2022

"My office is full of smoke and [the] select committee is in full swing. Scary times," fellow national MP Erica Stanford wrote on Twitter.

Police clearing Parliament grounds of protesters and tents this afternoon, which turned violent. Photo / Mike Scott

Transport Minister Michael Wood said the protest has been a "terrible and disruptive episode". Wood said many protesters are "vulnerable, hurt and manipulated".

1/3 The embedded selfishness of a group who abuse school children and retail workers for wearing masks could not be better symbolised than through the act of burinng down a childrens playground because "we can't have it". This has been a terrible & disruptive episiode, & very...

— Michael Wood (@michaelwoodnz) March 2, 2022

Meanwhile, The Chair of the National Māori Authority and the person behind the #endtheprotest campaign has thanked Police for taking charge at Parliament.

Matthew Tukaki said behaviour seen at the protest was nothing more than feral. He also said while there have been people down at the protest wanting to pursue Kaupapa, that was all drowned out by violence.

"This past few weeks Wellingtonians have suffered abuse, financial pressure on their small businesses, disruption to work and our children's education with school closures – all because these phantom few didn't like the fact that A: a majority Government was elected that they just didn't like, B: they wanted us to all believe that their conspiracy theories meant we were all wrong when it came to the pandemic and C: that they had some god-given right to hold us all to ransom.

"And even sadder than that was a very small number of Māori who decided to throw tikanga out the window and essentially invade Marae and Māori infrastructure," he said.

Tukaki thanked emergency service staff, Ngāti Toa, Te Atiawa, Taranaki Whānau and Wellingtonians for their work.

"We are finally getting our Capital back," Tukaki said.

Wellington City Councillor Fleur Fitzsimons said she was angry protesters chose to burn down a beloved slide.

Burning a kids slide tells you everything you need to know about the protestors. I’m so angry, my kids loved that slide and it was a symbol of our Parliament being for everyone. Gross.

— Fleur Fitzsimons (@FleurFitzsimons) March 2, 2022

Nelson Labour MP Rachel Boyack called the scenes at Parliament "distressing".

It is distressing seeing the scenes play out at Parliament. It is the people’s place and the people’s house, and this is no way to treat it. The scenes we are seeing are not the Aotearoa New Zealand we know and love. Arohanui ❤️

— Rachel Boyack MP (@rachelboyack) March 2, 2022