Three anti-COVID vaccine mandate protesters have been charged after being arrested at Parliament on Wednesday, as some demonstrators wreaked havoc in Wellington.
The protesters spent a second day on the Parliament grounds as part of a "freedom" demonstration - calling for an end to COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates.
Wellington District Commander Supt Corrie Parnell said in a statement that three men, aged 61, 57 and 50 had been charged with obstruction on Wednesday night.
Parnell said the trio was released on bail and is due to appear in the Wellington District Court on Monday.
The arrests came after some protesters tried to surge through a police barricade to the steps of Parliament just after 3pm on Wednesday.
Parnell said the arrested trio was also issued trespass notices from Parliament grounds.
"At this time, these three men are the only people to be issued with trespass notices from Parliament since the protest activity began on Tuesday," said Parnell.
"There have been no further arrests or significant incidents on Parliament grounds this evening and police continue to engage with organisers from the different groups present.
"Police staff will remain on Parliament grounds overnight," Parnell said on Tuesday night.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said the protesters don't represent the majority of New Zealanders.
"I know today at 1pm, 31,000 people had gone out and been vaccinated and so I think it would be wrong… in any way, characterise what we've seen outside as a representation of the majority," she told reporters on Monday.
"The majority of New Zealanders have done everything they can to keep one another safe."
Ninety-four percent of eligible New Zealanders are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 95 percent have received at least one dose, Ministry of Health data shows.
The protests being held in New Zealand are largely a copycat of demonstrations taking place in North America, where Canadian truckers have occupied its capital Ottawa and also blocked lanes at the US border to protest government pandemic control measures.
