Initially, New Zealand was getting a bit hard on the protesters protesting at their Parliament building, arresting some, playing loud music, turning on the sprinklers, and threatening them. Now
New Zealand Police Adopts “Hands-Off Approach” For Anti-Vaccine Protests
New Zealand police ruled out forcibly clearing anti-vaccination protesters camped around parliament in Wellington on Friday, saying they did not want to provoke violence on the streets of the capital.
Police have taken a hands-off approach after an attempt to take control of the lawns late last week resulted in violent clashes and 120 arrests.Commissioner Andrew Coster acknowledged growing frustration among Wellington residents and business owners as protest vehicles blocked downtown streets for the 11th day.
But he insisted dialogue with the demonstration’s leaders was yielding positive results, even though the number of people squatting outside the legislature continues to swell.
“Enforcement action taken by police runs the real risk of injury to the public, escalation in numbers of people, and a transition away from a largely peaceful protest to violence,” Coster said.
Perhaps the Powers That Be realized that New Zealand actually has a Constitution which guarantees the right to protest the government and speak out against them, and it’s a really bad look to go after these protesters, as annoying as they may be. And that going after people can whip the citizens up even more. And that going after people engaged in Constitutionally protected protest can lead to Bad Things, such as the politicians getting voted out.
Those same politicians are surely watching what’s going on in Canada, with the government declaring war on people engaged in Constitutionally protected speech and protest, taking away those freedoms in a targeted manner because they are protesting government. The government is even violating their Charter of Rights and Freedoms by investigating military members who support the Freedom Truckers.
This violence is unacceptable, and this intimidation is inexcusable. I strongly condemn this behaviour – in Canada, this is not how we express our differences or advance our causes. My thoughts are with the officer who was injured, and with the workers who were threatened. https://t.co/TpnXXs84lr
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 18, 2022
This is what happened
The Canadian government on Friday condemned an attack on a Coastal GasLink pipeline work camp in northern British Columbia, in which police said assailants brandishing axes threatened workers and damaged equipment. (snip)
Coastal GasLink said on Thursday approximately 20 masked attackers wearing camouflage surrounded a work site off a forest service road and attacked workers early in the morning. They wielded axes, fired flare guns and tried to set one vehicle on fire while workers were inside, the company said in a statement.
The workers fled and the attackers vandalized heavy equipment and construction trailers, causing millions of dollars worth of damage, the company added.
Trudeau “condemns”. But, he’s not insulting them, threatening them, not invoking emergency powers to shut them down and arrest them. Why? Because they aren’t protesting the government.
It doesn’t matter if you agree with the truckers or protesters in New Zealand (or Australia, France, other countries) who are against mandates: you either believe in freedom of speech, protest, and petitioning for redress of grievance for all or you don’t believe in it.
Read: New Zealand Decides To Take Soft Approach On Protesters »