Omicron outbreak: Protesters at Woodville Campground refused to leave after denied entry

A group of protesters were denied entry into the Woodville Campground. Photo / Supplied

A group of 50 protesters had to be moved on from Woodville Campground after refusing to leave when denied entry.

A police spokesperson said about 50 people refused to leave Woodville Campground, about 30km from Palmerston North, on Monday afternoon, and there were reports of intimidating behaviour.

They were spoken to about 5.30pm and left with no charges laid, police said.

Woodville man Roy Giddens said he was the sole occupant of the campground when the group, believed to be anti-vaccine mandate, arrived.

"It went from nice quiet caravan park to absolute bedlam in about an hour," he said.

Giddens said he tried to prevent the group from entering, as the campground was managed by Tararua District council and all entrants had to have a vaccine passport.

"If you don't have a passport you can't come in, and the council have been very, very strict on that," Giddens said.

"I told them 'no one can come in here' and then [a protester] went over to the gates, propped them open, and all of a sudden people started streaming in."

Giddens said they broke into one of the toilets and physically threatened him, and he called the police.

"I closed the toilets and all of the offices, because there's big signs everywhere saying you can't enter unless you have a vaccine.

"Then they all came at me and demanded I open the toilets.

"I stood my ground but I got overwhelmed."

A spokesperson from Tararua District Council confirmed vaccine passports were required at all council campgrounds, but said they would not be able to provide any more information as the events at Woodville were a police matter.