Protestors marched through Newmarket from Auckland Domain on Saturday. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Protestors marched through Newmarket from Auckland Domain on Saturday. Photo / Brett Phibbs
A man who "entertained and hosted" Saturday's anti-lockdown protest attended by around 5000 people at Auckland Domain was seen in a video posted to social media being escorted from his home by police.
A 36-year-old man was arrested and charged yesterday for attending all three mass anti-lockdown protests that tookplace last month, breaching Covid-19 restrictions.
Freedoms and Rights Coalition MC Kaleb Cave's wife posted a video of police escorting her husband from his south Auckland home yesterday afternoon, saying: "this foul Government and their vaccine mandates, segregating, control and scare tactics, violating ways!"
The pair are associated with Destiny Church, whose leader Brian Tamaki was charged over helping to organise two previous anti-lockdown protests.
The man charged by police was scheduled to appear in Auckland District Court this morning facing three charges of failing to comply with the Covid-19 Public Health Response Order by attending the gatherings during alert level 3 restrictions on October 2, 16 and 30.
The appearance has been rescheduled until December due to Covid-19 restrictions. The man is understood to be remanded on bail.
Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 6 months imprisonment or a $4000 fine.
The man is the first person to be charged over Saturday's protest in central Auckland, but police said they cannot rule out further charges.
Around 5000 people gathered at Auckland Domain then proceeded to march through the streets of Newmarket brandishing freedom signs and flags and blocking traffic.
Protestors marched through Newmarket from Auckland Domain on Saturday. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Police said they were "disappointed" in the actions of the organisers of the event, who "went ahead despite police warning them that the gathering was a breach of the current restrictions".
The 90-minute gathering at the Domain was noisy but free of any major incidents. Rally participants sang the national anthem and a range of speakers addressed the crowd. At 12.30pm, protesters began their march.
Brian Tamaki and another man were charged after earlier protests held on October 2 and 16, which attracted around 2000 people each time. Tamaki did not attend the third protest, having appeared in court twice before Saturday.
