After Canada, the Freedom Caravan took place in New Zealand

COVID-19 – After Ottawa, a new Anglo-Saxon capital has been affected by. A convoy of trucks and mobile homes blocked the streets around the New Zealand Parliament on Tuesday, February 8th Wellington To protest health and vaccination measures, a movement inspired by The one who paralyzes the capital of Canadanickname “Freedom Caravan”.

Hundreds of cars, decorated with messages such as “Give us back our freedom” and “Coercion is not consent,” are parked in the streets near parliament. Hundreds more marched through the city center honking horns while more than 1,000 people listened to speeches.

Wellington resident Stu Maine said the protesters felt their concerns about their rights being rolled back were not being heard by the government. “I am to feed But I am against forcing people to do that,” he told AFP, describing the policy as “scandalous”.

The protest remained peaceful and the police did not report any arrests or major incidents. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern He said that he did not intend to dialogue with those who participated in this process, stressing that the majority of New Zealanders expressed their support for the program. vaccination to the government.

“Ninety-six percent of New Zealanders have been vaccinated, so now we can live with less restrictions thanks to the extra protection it provides,” she told Radio New Zealand.

Canadian expatriates in the procession

Vaccination against Covid-19 is mandatory for people working in certain sectors such as health, police, education and defence, in New Zealand.

System sanitary corridor It went into effect, requiring people to prove they have been vaccinated in order to enter restaurants, participate in sporting events, or religious services. It is not compulsory on public transport, supermarkets, schools or access to health services.

Several protesters in Wellington carried Canadian flags, including an expatriate named Billy, who refused to give his last name.

Hundreds of trucks have besieged the Canadian capital for more than ten days, and the mayor of Ottawa called on the federal authorities, on Monday, February 7, to help put an end to it, after declaring a “state of emergency”.

On the other side of the globe, organizers of the Wellington caravan have not indicated how long they intend to stay in the New Zealand capital.

See also on Huff Post: Against the mandatory vaccine, truck drivers are demonstrating in Ottawa