Police had to forcibly remove a small group of anti-Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) protesters, including a woman by the hair, after they blocked one lane of a motorway.
Protesters clogged much of Auckland's central city today, stretching police resources and blocking motorway traffic.
A number of coordinated marches and demonstrations were planned in the CBD ahead of the signing of the 12-country trade agreement which were attended by thousands.
But a few break-away groups forced major arterial routes to be blocked of for some time by sitting on the road.
They were met with by police who tried to move them out of the way of traffic. At one point, their sit-in blocked one lane of the motorway at Cook St.
A large group of protesters moved from Aotea Square and along to Queen St where they stopped outside the Britomart Transport Centre following the controversial signing of the TPP by 12 nations at SkyCity convention centre.
Newshub reporter Lisa Owen says the woman "wouldn't get up and so they encouraged off the motorway by pulling her by her hair".
Police claim some are running into traffic without warning.
Lisa Owen says protesters are "causing maximum disruption with a minimum group of people" and exhausting police resources.
A number of prominent TPP opposition leaders spoke to the crowd earlier today, including Jane Kelsey and Hone Harawera.
Meanwhile protest organiser for Real Choice Julia Espinoza says she is "absolutely wrapt" with how today's TPP march played out.
"We didn't know how many people to expect on the day, but we've had thousands…throughout the day.
"We've had heaps of people come and join us and really good public support as well."
Ms Espinoza says they set out to hold a peaceful protest and that had been blown out of proportion by the media and the police.
"No one was planning to go and riot anywhere, we had no intention of trying to get into SkyCity. We wanted to go and show that direct action does work in a peaceful manner.
"We made lots of noise and a really strong message to those leaders that we don't want this agreement."
Newshub.
