Watch: The car and the clashes - morning of volatility and arrests on the streets around Parliament

Tuesday, 22 February 2022

Police move in to Hill and Molesworth Streets to tighten the access the protesters have in the area.

Visual journalist Robert Kitchin was on scene Tuesday morning as the police operation against the protest ramped up with a car driving the wrong way down a one-way, towards the rear of a line of officers.

At the time, about 200 police appeared to be holding the line to advance concrete barriers closer to the protesters’ increasingly permanent camp on Parliament’s lawn.

Police extract the driver of a white car, who drove it towards the rear of their line facing off with protesters on the fringe of the Parliament occupation.

There were shouts and screams from the crowd as officers tried smashing the window to pull the driver out, and apprehend him. Another officer entered through the passenger side and unlocked the driver’s door.

The moments before several protesters and police clashed near the protest site.

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The driver was arrested and walked off in handcuffs.

Kitchin then filmed police advancing down Molesworth St towards its intersection with Hill St, near to a block of portaloos the protesters have been using during the occupation.

Clashes between police and the crowd then ensued, captured by Kitchin, after which police led away several protesters as the crowd chanted “shame on you”.

Police said in a statement officers were equipped with shields, in order to protect themselves from objects being thrown, such as human waste.

Police claimed at least three officers needed medical attention after being sprayed with an “unknown substance”.

Watch the video at the top of this article to see how the unrest unfolded.