Girls' college near Parliament occupation to shut doors as tensions increase

Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Students at Wellington Girls' College will study from home from Wednesday because of the volatility around Parliament.

Wellington Girls’ College students will study from home from Wednesday until at least March 1 as volatility around Parliament escalates.

“We are hearing from numerous parents, students and staff that they feel unsafe in Thorndon at present. The mood has changed and today seems to be a tipping point,” principal Julia Davidson said in a social media statement.

The school is a few hundred metres away from Parliament and the occupiers’ camp.

Davidson told Stuff 'lots of students and staff' had suffered abuse as they were walking up to school.

A person was arrested after a car was driven at police and protesters during a dawn operation at the Parliament occupation.

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She confirmed this had been distressing for the school community - and they had been experiencing it since the occupation began two weeks ago. When asked whether the protest had been terrible for the school, Davidson replied. 'Yes, it has.'

The school has a roll of nearly 1500 students.

Davidson was asking Ministry of Education, Wellington City Council and police for volunteers to help walk students on a safe route up to school. She hoped the school would not have to close longer than next Monday.

The social media post said staff were being harassed and filmed by people involved in the occupation, and the school felt the Thorndon shops, where students and staff often buy their lunch, were unsafe because of the number of occupiers also using the area.

Staff have been volunteering for extra duty before school to ensure safe passage to school for students who no longer felt safe.

The stand-off between police and those involved in the protest on Tuesday involved a car being driven into a line of police, and three officers being treated in hospital after having an unidentified liquid was sprayed in their eyes.

The Tuesday incidents had made the school reconsider its ability to keep students safe, Davidson said.

The school’s board would reassess the situation whether the students should return on next Tuesday, March 1 closer to the time.

The move was inline with Victoria University, several government departments and businesses in the area which had shut their doors, Davidson said.

The school would offer supervision for students under the age of 14 at school.