In New Zealand, despite a record number of cases, vaccines continue to work
New Zealand authorities recorded 1,160 new cases of Covid-19, the highest number since the start of the pandemic.
New Zealand recorded a record number of infections on Wednesday as anti-vaccine protesters welcomed a failed police attempt to disinfect cars blocking streets around Parliament. The authorities recorded 1,160 new cases COVID-19 This is the highest number since the beginning of the epidemic. The highly contagious Omicron variant continues to spread through the archipelago, and was largely unaffected by the virus until August.
In this country, which recorded a total of only 53 deaths for five million inhabitants, the demonstrators decided to protest against health measures and the government’s vaccination policy. Inspired by the self-proclaimed Canadian “Freedom Caravans,” they last week blocked roads with cars, trucks and campers before camping on Parliament Lawns in central Wellington.
Street tow trucks
For nine days, the situation has faltered, and the police are relatively passive except for the violent clashes on February 19 that led to the arrest of 122 protesters.
But law enforcement officials got tough on Tuesday night, calling the protests “unacceptable” and announcing that two trucks had been towed to clear the streets. Police Commissioner Andrew Koster said he had sought help from the military and warned that anyone standing in the way of the “imminent” operation was at risk of arrest.
However, no tow trucks were deployed on Wednesday, and when officers tried to take control of an area near parked cars, they were met by massive protesters chanting “Our streets? Our streets.”
The demonstrators chanted as the police quickly retreated from behind the barricades.
Assistant Commissioner Richard Chambers defended the police’s cautious approach.
“The situation remains incredibly difficult and complex, and the police are careful not to escalate the situation unnecessarily,” he said.
The police had previously expressed concern about the large number of children in the camp, and accused protesters of trying to use them as human shields to avoid arrest.
This weekend the Speaker of Parliament, Trevor Mallard, loudly and repeatedly played catchy songs to encourage protesters to leave the camp and run machine guns to suck the lawns, turning them into field mud.
The police criticized such methods.
Image source: Reuters/Praveen Menon
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