Police move on protesters outside New Zealand's Parliament

Wellington, Mar 2 (AP): Wearing riot gear and using pepper spray, New Zealand police on Wednesday moved in on the hundreds of protesters who have been camped outside the nation's Parliament for more than three week.

Police move on protesters outside New Zealand's Parliament

Wellington, Mar 2 (AP): Wearing riot gear and using pepper spray, New Zealand police on Wednesday moved in on the hundreds of protesters who have been camped outside the nation's Parliament for more than three weeks.

It was the most significant use of force yet by authorities against the protesters, who oppose coronavirus vaccine mandates.

Police also began towing some of the 300 or so cars, vans and trucks that protesters have used to block streets in the area.

The convoy protest was inspired by similar protests in Canada and has sparked other protests around New Zealand.

The police action in the capital began around dawn.

Protesters were told over loudspeakers they were trespassing and needed to leave, while officers tore down tents and a police helicopter circled overhead. Some protesters confronted police and used milk to try and clear their eyes from pepper spray.

By mid-morning, police said they had made about 60 arrests and gained significant ground.

Police said some protesters had been using homemade plywood shields and pitchforks. Police also said they'd seen at least 10 children in the protest area and urged parents and caregivers to take them home.

The protests have led to a more charged political atmosphere across New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's security detail has been increased after protesters heckled her at events, including as she was leaving a school visit in Christchurch last week.

Lawmakers across all parties have refused to meet with the protesters.

Last week one protester drove a car toward a police line, narrowly avoiding officers, and police said some of the protesters had thrown human feces at them.

Before Wednesday's operation, police had arrested 132 protesters and laid various charges against some of them.

Protesters have been well organised, setting up tents on the lawns outside Parliament and trucking in portable toilets, crates of donated food, and bales of straw to lay down when the grass turned to mud.

They even dug a vegetable garden, set up a day care tent, and assembled makeshift showers as they signalled their intent to stay for a long time.

At one point, Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard turned on the sprinklers and blasted Barry Manilow tunes in a failed effort to make them leave.

New Zealand is experiencing its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began as the omicron variant spreads. On Tuesday, health authorities reported a record of nearly 20,000 new daily cases.

Ardern has said she plans to begin easing virus mandates and restrictions after the peak of the omicron outbreak has passed.

About 77% of New Zealand's population is vaccinated with two doses.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, New Zealand has reported fewer than 100 virus deaths among its population of 5 million, after it imposed strict border controls and lockdowns to eliminate earlier outbreaks. (AP) VM VM

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)