Coronavirus: NZ vaccine protesters block MP from leaving building until police arrive
- Leader of New Zealand’s opposition National Party Christopher Luxon unable to leave premises as demonstrators angry about vaccine mandates blocked exit
- Protest came after a volatile few months for politicians, which seems to be largely driven by those disillusioned with the Government’s Covid policies
New Zealand’s opposition National Party leader Christopher Luxon was stuck inside a building for nearly an hour this morning after protesters blocked the exit from a community meeting in Palmerston North.
It’s understood Luxon and a staff member were unable to leave the premises until soon before midday because of a crowd of about 30 people. The group was believed to be protesting against the Covid vaccine mandates.
No one was hurt, but the stand-off ended only after the police intervened. A police spokesperson confirmed staff were called to the building and spoke to the protesters. “Both those at the venue, and the protesters left without further incident. There were no arrests.”
A spokesperson for Luxon said the National leader did not wish to comment.
Today’s protest comes after a volatile few months for politicians, which seems to be largely driven by those disillusioned with the Government’s Covid policies.
In November last year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was forced to hastily cancel a press conference in Whanganui because of a large group of anti-vaccine protesters.
At another protest in Paihia in January, Ardern’s driver had to take evasive action onto a footpath to avoid a protester’s car.
In February, the vehicle the Prime Minister was travelling in was chased outside a primary school. The crowd was shouting “shame on you” and “traitor”, while holding signs saying the Prime Minister would be “put on trial”.
That was a reference to a conspiracy theory that a cabal of world leaders are using Covid vaccines to commit a global genocide.
Similar protest signs were seen among the hundreds of demonstrators who camped at Parliament for several weeks in March, where death threats were made against politicians and journalists covering the occupation.
Several people have been charged with making death threats against the Prime Minister this term, as well as former National Party leader Simon Bridges in the last term.
