Covid-19: City in standstill as thousands gather in Christchurch for protest
Saturday, 13 November 2021
Refusing to be put off by wet weather, thousands of people gathered in Christchurch to march against current government and Covid-19 pandemic controls.
Protester numbers steadily grew at Cranmer Square on Saturday morning – many carrying anti-government placards and waving New Zealand flags – and reached several thousand before they marched through the city central via Cambridge Tce, Lichfield St and Colombo St, congesting much of the central city.
The Freedom and Rights Coalition organised several protests across the country this week, including a large gathering outside Parliament in Wellington last Tuesday, as well as movements in several cities on Saturday, many involving “gridlock” congestion of roads.
As protest numbers reached close to their peak, about 20 motorcycles – led by speaker Derek Tait –arrived to loud cheers. Tait spoke to the crowd about not listening to mainstream media, denouncing the Government, and abolishing lockdowns, before leading the march.
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**
Gatherers observed a minute’s silence for the four lives lost in the Kāpiti crash earlier this week before the march began, and the national anthem was sung.
The march caused congestion in the central city as the crowd cycled through several chants including “freedom”, “stand down Ardern” and “say no to mandates” before arriving in Cathedral Square.
Tait again addressed the crowd before coordinating a haka in front of the cathedral.
Plans for a “gridlock” motorcade in the city later in the afternoon did not to eventuate, with Tait telling Stuff he was unsure if it could be done safely.
Tait said another protest would be held in Christchurch next Saturday.
Speaking to Stuff after the march, Tait said the protest was “great, considering the weather”.
He said he was there to march for his freedom to choose.
Asked to explain what he meant, he said: “It's pretty simple really, it's our freedom to choose”. Asked further about what the choice was, he replied: “To choose what we want to do with our bodies and what we want to take.”
Tait refused to answer any questions about himself and what he does for a living. Asked why, he replied: “because I said”.
His Facebook profile says he is a senior pastor at Destiny Church in Christchurch. One of his Facebook friends is Brian Tamaki.
Stuff spoke to several people who attended Saturday’s protest.
Lindsay Langford of North Canterbury said he attended the march to stand up for people’s rights.
He said he opposed the vaccine mandate.
“I want to stand up for the freedom to choose,” he said.
He had a handwritten slogan on his shirt that read: “Jacinda is a blot on our landscape. Let's get some stain remover.”
Sam Field of Selwyn Huts in Canterbury said he was against the vaccine mandate.
“I’m just showing my support for people,” he said.
“People who have lost their jobs because of it.”
He had a placard with the slogan “this is about mass surveillance and depopulation”.
Former nursing student Susan Nankivell said she had given up applying for nursing jobs because she was not vaccinated.
“I know students who’ve been kicked out of their courses, and I can’t get to my son's wedding because the venue is mandated. It’s not right,” she said.
Kevin Anngow wore a Make America Great Again cap and claimed he had left his job in a Timaru rest home over the vaccine mandate.
A police spokeswoman said she was not aware of any arrests at Christchurch’s protest.
In Auckland and Wellington, protesters took to their cars and created a gridlocked motorcade on main highways and in the CBDs on Saturday, causing congestion for several hours.