Most of those who took part in the protests on Tuesday wore masks and marched from the center of the capital, Wellington, outside Parliament.
They oppose mandatory vaccination rules and lockdowns.
Security was tightened in parliament despite peaceful protests, Reuters reported. All but two entrances to the parliament building were closed due to unprecedented security measures.
Many of the protesters gathered outside had placards in their hands. They carried messages such as ‘Freedom’, ‘Kiwis are not laboratory rats’. They chanted slogans demanding the repeal of the government’s decision to make coronavirus vaccination compulsory and lifting restrictions.
There were also some placards in support of former US President Donald Trump. Some of them even said that the media was ‘fake’ and ‘lying’.
“I can’t be forced and I can’t be forced to accept anything I don’t want to take on my body,” said one protester outside parliament. Demand to the government, give us back 2017. Straightforwardly, I want my freedom back. ”
New Zealand is battling an outbreak of a highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus this year. To address the situation, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called for a lockdown and increased vaccination rates.
Last month, Ordern said New Zealand needed more teachers and more workers in the health and disability sectors to vaccinate everyone against Kovid-19.
Criticism escalated after his remarks. People are calling for the abolition of vaccination and more freedom.
“Those we see today do not represent the greater part of New Zealand,” Ordern told reporters inside Parliament.
However, he acknowledged that their numbers were not enough to defeat President Conte’s government.
He is scheduled to leave for Auckland on Wednesday. On this day, the lockdown imposed on the city about three months ago is expected to be relaxed. However, it is expected that he will face protests there as well.
New Zealand is still one of the countries in the world with the lowest number of Kovid-19 patients identified. So far, less than 8,000 patients have been identified in the country and 32 have died.
On Tuesday, 125 new patients were identified in the country. The number of people receiving two doses of vaccine in the country has reached about 80 percent.
