“Chaotic scenes erupted as hundreds of police descended, armed with riot shields, and shoving protesters out of the way. Protesters could be heard crying in pain after being pepper sprayed and police were lined several people deep to move them on… a police helicopter circled above…”
This was not reporting Russian authorities clearing demonstrators against President Putin’s attack on the Ukraine, nor French Police breaking up a violent protest after President Emmanuel Macron won re-election. It was New Zealand’s Police moving in on the men, women, and children peacefully camped on Parliament grounds on March 2nd.
Instead of talking to the anti-mandate leaders – as they had requested – Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern looked down from her 9th floor Beehive office as Police used rubber bullets, pepper spray and batons to crush the protest.
