Ardern denounces protesters after ugly clashes with police

Bloomberg

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern denounced protesters occupying parliament grounds after some ugly clashes with police.
“The attacks on police have been absolutely disgraceful,” Ardern told reporters. “Clearly there are a group who are increasingly acting out in a violent way toward the police.”
As the protest against vaccine mandates in downtown Wellington entered its 15th day, police said three officers were taken to hospital for a medical assessment after being sprayed with a stinging substance that is still to be determined. Others were fortunate to escape injury after a protester drove a car at police as they sought to reduce the perimeter around the occupied area.
Shields were deployed after protesters had thrown objects at officers the previous day, including human waste, police said.
“The police are there doing a job to keep Wellingtonians safe, to have them met with such acts of violence is totally wrong,” Ardern said. “To everyone who has said this is a peaceful protest, they can surely see now that in some quarters it is not. So it is their responsibility to leave.”
Inspired by the blockade in Ottawa, the protest against Covid restrictions has grown in size and shows no signs of abating. The sea of tents covering parliament grounds has spilled out onto the lawns of other civic buildings in the area and protesters’ vehicles continue to block roads in the capital city, angering residents.
Despite the occasional clashes with police, a festival-like atmosphere pervades the occupied area, which has become a village complete with road signs, food, massage and yoga tents and areas for children to play in.