Hundreds of protesters blocked a major Rotorua intersection as part of a national day of disruption launched by Te Pāti Māori to coincide with Budget day.
Protesters gathered at four locations around the outskirts of the CBD before congregating at the Fenton and Amohau St intersection, blocking the junction, and walking in a large circle before moving slowly north up Fenton St with large banners, flags and signs.
“We are here for the liberation of our people” a woman on a loudspeaker told the crowd.
Police directed traffic away from the group which stopped at Te Manawa. Music played over the friendly, family-focused atmosphere.
People were singing and dancing.
Police said in an updated statement this afternoon there had been disruption to travel in some locations but participants had been well-behaved overall with no incidents of note reported.
Image 1 of 43: Te Pati Maori joint protest Rotorua. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua protest organiser and Te Pāti Māori co-vice president Fallyn Flavell said the activation was “beautiful”.
It was great to see so many people turn out but it did not transfer into voting or participating in the democratic system, she said.
The party’s job now was to transfer passion into votes.
“We’ve got a million people registered through the Census data that was released yesterday.
“If each of those Māori were to register on the Māori roll rather than on the general roll, then we’d have around about 14 plus seats in Parliament.
“So that’s already 100 per cent increase from the seven seats that we currently have.”
She said she had been surprised by the heavy police presence near Sala St during the protest.
“There were police on every corner, and they also had a paddywagon out there.
“I was really taken by that because when I look at other protests that have not so peaceful behaviour, I don’t see the presence of police... at those sorts of activations.”
She said she appreciated the police were trying to keep people safe but felt the number of officers present had been “overboard”.
She was pleased to see many mokopuna participating.
“What I’d like to see them ‘mokopuna’ take away from it is that they saw their parents, their aunties, their uncles stand up for their rights.
“But what I actually want is for our mokopuna to not have to do this in another 20 years.
“I have no doubt that we will be marching to Wellington this year or within this Government’s term and what I don’t want is for mokopuna to be doing this again, but I want them to realise that we stood up and we’re doing this for them.
Earlier protester Joe Hicks said he wished he weren’t here today but “we have rights and we want to keep those rights”.
“It took a long time for people for us to get where we are and to take it all away, it’s just stupid.”
In a social media post, Te Pāti Māori listed the four Rotorua locations as the corner of Lake and Bennetts Rd, the intersection of Old Taupo Rd and Pukuatua St near Rotorua Boys’ High School, the intersection of Fenton and Amohau Sts near McDonald’s and the Sala St and Te Ngae Rd intersection.
Another protester said, in his opinion, the Government was “mean-spirited”.
”By standing here today, we’re indicating that we’re not happy with the way we’re being treated.”
Rotorua police said in a statement the public should expect traffic disruptions from 6.30am to 9am and motorists were asked to plan ahead including avoiding the areas and seeking alternative routes.
Officers would be highly visible and, in some locations, would put measures in place to prevent participants from putting themselves and motorists in harm’s way, the statement said.
Police were working with organisers to provide advice on lawful behaviour on roads and public places, as well as on health and safety.
The statement said police recognised the right to peaceful protest, however, unlawful behaviour would result in enforcement action.
There would be more hīkoi planned in the future “if the Government continues to unjustly remove parts of legislation that directly impact Māori, or are breaching Te Tiriti o Waitangi”, Flavell said.
“The time is now.
“The people who can participate are ready for this, just like they were ready on December 5. The Government will no longer treat us like second-class citizens in our own country.”
She said people could get involved by turning up at one of the four locations.
The tikanga for the protest was peaceful, respectful, mokopuna-focused, mokopuna-friendly, wairua pai [good spirit].
Protest organiser Eru Kapa-Kingi, from Toitū Te Tiriti, said “delaying a few people’s trips to work was nothing compared to the daily disruption this Government had on Māori”.
“We are the rangatira of this whenua and will act as we always have. We will act with the grace of our tikanga and sternness embedded in our mana,” Kapa-Kingi told the Herald.
“Heoi anō, just as we looked after Pākehā when they first arrived here in Aotearoa, and every day since, we will do the same this Thursday, while standing for the truth that we never ceded sovereignty, and keeping the wellbeing of our mokopuna at the front of our minds.”
Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere said Prime Minister Christoper Luxon’s response that Māori should only go on strike on weekends was telling.
“According to Luxon, natives are only allowed to protest on weekends while his mates can go anywhere, anytime,” Tamihere said.
Protest motorists in Auckland will converge on to the Northwestern, Southern and Northern motorways from 6.30am to try to accomplish maximum disruption.
Those groups will slowly make their way to the Aotea Centre in downtown Auckland, where a rally will be fronted by community advocate Dave Letele.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell condemned the planned “unlawful protest” action on Friday.
“I’ve been very clear with the commissioner that my expectations are that law-abiding Kiwis going about their daily business, their rights are protected above those who choose to break the law,” Mitchell said.
He told Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking that it is “absolutely illegal”.
Mitchell was joined by his Labour counterpart Ginny Andersen, who said she would not be joining in on the protests.
She said she understood why Māori were protesting but did not agree with unlawful protest.
In Wellington, protesters will meet at the Wellington Railway Station before marching on Parliament ahead of the 2pm Budget 2024 announcement.
Similar delaying tactics will be employed in cities across the country. In December, thousands marched on Parliament.
Assistant Police Commissioner Mike Johnson said they were working to manage the right to protest and people’s rights to go about their daily business.
In addition to Rotorua, areas in and around the Bay of Plenty he said would be affected included Tauranga, Ōpōtiki, Whakātane, Taupō and Tūrangi.
“We are aware that gatherings are planned for Aotea Square in Auckland City from 11am and Parliament Grounds in Wellington from noon which are expected to continue into the afternoon,” Johnson said.
NZ First deputy leader Shane Jones said Te Pāti Māori is spreading a “grievance culture” and described the Māori Party hīkoi as a “parade of blind mice”.
“They are promoting victimhood. Sadly their own supporters have become blind mice.
“The Māori Party are telling whānau to strike or go without pay? Will Debbie Ngarewa-Packer [Te Pāti Māori co-leader] work a day for free?
“Their conduct is grossly disruptive and totally selfish.
“Cultural nursery rhymes will not improve our economic circumstances.”
- Additional reporting by Joseph Los’e
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