Te Papa senior history curator Claire Regnault. Photo / Maarten Holl
Te Papa senior history curator Claire Regnault. Photo / Maarten Holl
Te Papa has collected tennis balls thrown at journalists during the anti-mandate protests at Parliament, as well as a concrete barrier with the word "freedom" written across it.
The items are part of a long-term collection programme tracing the country's experience with Covid-19 from the first announcements made about thevirus, to the vaccination rollout, to the protests, and beyond.
Te Papa senior history curator Claire Regnault said the February protest had a major impact on Wellington and evoked strong reactions.
Hundreds occupied Parliament for 23 days, clogging the surrounding streets with cars, trucks, and tents.
Violent scenes erupted as police eventually moved in to clear the camp. Protesters didn't go down without a fight - ripping bricks from the pavement and lighting fires.
During the protest concrete barriers were put in place to prevent the group expanding any further into Wellington city and to maintain access for residents, businesses and emergency vehicles.
The barriers, usually used for river works, were on loan from Greater Wellington Regional Council.
The other side of the barrier says "love". Photo / Maarten Holl
One side of the barrier says "freedom". Photo / Maarten Holl
Regnault said Te Papa has collected one barrier which has the word "freedom" written across the front of it in blue paint and "love" on the other side in red.
"It was good to have something of scale and the fact the protest got to that level where barriers were put in place at 3.30am one morning around Parliament.
"That word freedom is a great word because it does throw up that conversation about what is freedom? What is choice? And for whom?"
Regnault said a number of groups also had the word "freedom" in their name like the Freedom Convoy.
The barrier was one of just a handful put aside in the aftermath of the occupation. A water blaster was used to clean up the rest of them, erasing the protesters' messages forever.
Te Papa has also collected smaller items like pamphlets, placards, and photographs from the protest. They are all tucked away in the museum's storage facilities.
Curators have also gathered tennis balls which were thrown at journalists when thousands marched on Parliament in November to challenge Covid-19 restrictions.
Jack Crossland was working as a reporter for Newstalk ZB at the time.
One of the tennis balls which were thrown at journalists during a protest in November. Photo / Supplied
He said the situation was moving quickly so when protesters started throwing things, he was initially a bit fearful.
"Once we realised they were only tennis balls, we quickly became calm and almost found the situation funny."
Crossland said the tennis balls didn't hurt.
The protesters were upset when journalists wouldn't return them, but Crossland kept two balls anyway which had the messages "poison jab" and "agenda 2030" written on them.
Regnault said she hoped some of the items collected from the protests would make it onto the museum's floor within the next few years. They will also be processed for online collections.
She said collecting items like these helped people remember events and salient moments.
"It helps us connect to the past and understand and unpick events, particularly when you've got the time to be able to look back."
The fallout from the protest earlier this year is still emerging.
Officers were knocked unconscious, tore tendons, and suffered dislocations in the wild melee of the protest, but the unseen mental hits have also been widespread.
Fifty businesses have received relief payments totalling $974,600 after the "devastating" disruption.
Police are still investigating criminal activity on the final day of the occupation and continue to appeal for the public's help to identify those involved.
To date, there have been 16 prosecutions and one person has been referred to Youth Services.
This is in addition to other prosecution activity throughout the occupation period.
