Protesters who glued themselves to busy motorway taking a 'breather'
Wednesday, 19 October 2022
After days of traffic disruption and multiple arrests, a group trying to shine a light on climate issues is dialling back its protest action, albeit briefly.
Eleven protesters who halted traffic down the southbound lane of Transmission Gully north of Wellington were arrested by police on Wednesday.
It was the fourth action in the past two weeks by climate activism group Restore Passenger Rail that brought major highways to a standstill.
Members blocked the road for about an hour in the morning, before police arrived and removed them. Several were handcuffed to a barrier by police as the group was rounded up.
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Spokesperson Rosemary Penwarden said the group would email Transport Minister Michael Wood in the hope of receiving a “meaningful response”.
“We might be taking a breather for the next few days,” she said.
Members James Cockle and Te Wehi Ratana were both arrested on Wednesday in violation of their bail conditions from arrests earlier in the week. Others were arrested and appeared in court after three separate protest events on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The group wants passenger rail coverage from Auckland to Wellington, Tauranga across to Rotorua and Napier, as well as Picton to Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill and Westport.
Despite the respite, the group resolved to continue protests until receiving some indication from the Government its demands were being heard.
“We are not going to stop because we have a Government that is absolutely doing nothing on climate change,” Penwarden said.
On Wednesday on Transmission Gully, a long queue formed from about 7.30am and some motorists left their vehicles to abuse protesters. One driver tore a banner from a protester’s hands.
Penwarden said the abuse from motorists “broke her heart”.
“This is not aimed at the motorists. We apologise for the inconvenience but what we are doing is trying to alert people to the inconvenience to come from floods, fires and massive storms in the next years.
“We are hopeful people. We are hopeful that we can turn this around and save some form of liveable planet.”
Transport Minister Michael Wood was critical of the group’s actions.
“These activities just, I think, alienate people from the issue, and they are extremely dangerous,” he said.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw said it risked being counterproductive.
“I am not questioning the motive, I absolutely understand the frustration … the thing for me is what is the most effective way of ensuring you are building that mass movement that causes real change to happen?”
Inspector Nick Thom said the action on Wednesday put the lives of the protesters and other motorists at risk.
'While police responded immediately and began clearing the road, some protesters had unfortunately glued their hands to the road, further delaying traffic and taking up police time.”
On Tuesday morning, two people were arrested after they abseiled down the Hataitai entrance to the Mt Victoria tunnel and lowered a banner into rush-hour traffic. One of them, Te Whei Heketoro Ratana, 28, of Nelson, appeared in Porirua District Court on Wednesday charged over the Transmission Gully protest and the protest that affected the Mt Victoria tunnel traffic.
The other 12 from Transmission Gully, who appeared in court on Wednesday, were charged with criminal nuisance and trespass.
The group included a father and son, and a married couple.
Michael Reginald Apathy, 42, of Christchurch, and his father Zoltan Raymond Apathy, 77, of Waikanae, were given an exception from the bail condition that alleged co-offenders could not associate with each other, as were married couple Jill Jackson, 67, and Stephen Charles Jackson, 70, of Auckland.
Other bail terms included not to support illegal Restore Passenger Rail protests in any way and not to obstruct public accessways.
Anne Margueretta Smith, 74, of Nelson, now faces charges from Porirua, Hutt Valley and Dunedin. Judge Jan Kelly warned her that any more charges could see her remanded in custody.
Others charged were: Anthony Brian Field, 46, of Christchurch; Carillon Dawn Cowan, 72, of Auckland; James Louis Cockle, 45, of Dunedin; Rachael Mary Andrews-Pringle, 51, of Palmerston North; Phoebe Ellen Wright, 32, of Wellington; John Wilson Tovey, 75, of Raumati Beach; and Susan Melanie Boyde, 67, of Paraparaumu.
All were due back in Porirua District Court in about three weeks, except Stephen Jackson who was remanded to North Shore District Court.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said some protesters handcuffed themselves to a barrier. Police handcuffed them to the barrier as they made arrests. (Amended 10.42am, October 19, 2022)