(Wellington) New Zealand anti-vaccine protesters threw an ‘irritating substance’ at law enforcement on Tuesday, injuring three police officers, in a clash-ridden protest that has lasted for several weeks.
Updated yesterday at 11:11 p.m.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has denounced “absolutely shameful” scenes in response to the alleged acid attack and another incident in which a protester in a car sped towards law enforcement, before stop dead a few centimeters from them.
The tension had risen a notch the day before, when the police accused demonstrators of having thrown human excrement at the police who were installing concrete dams around a camp of protesters.
According to the police, demonstrators tried, early Tuesday morning (local time), to obstruct the agents who came to bring the roadblocks closer to the camp.
“At least three officers require medical attention after being sprayed with an unknown substance by protesters,” police said in their statement.
“A person was arrested after trying to direct a car towards a group of police officers,” she added.
Two weeks after the start of their action, inspired by the Canadian anti-restriction “convoys”, the demonstrators had continued to flock this weekend despite calls from the police urging them to leave.
The movement, made up of around 1,500 protesters, was initially anti-vaccine, but as it gained momentum, its demands became more numerous. Some demonstrators displayed their affiliation to the extreme right, chanting messages against the government and the media.
Wellington residents have complained of being abused by protesters for wearing masks. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern condemned the “bullying and harassment” against them.
New Zealand, which has a population of five million, has recorded 53 deaths from the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. On Monday, 2,377 new cases were identified.