18 Oct 2022 | 07:48 AM UTC
New Zealand: Groundswell NZ announces plans for nationwide protests denouncing farming regulations Oct. 20 /update 1
Activists announce protest plans across New Zealand over proposed farming regulation Oct. 20. Tight security, disruptions likely.
Event
Activist group Groundswell NZ has announced details for planned protests across New Zealand Oct. 20 to oppose government-proposed farming regulations. Organizers have called for supporters to drive convoys to city and town centers throughout the country; participants plan to arrive by 12:00, though times vary by location. Several hundred to a few thousand people could join some demonstrations. The largest protests are likely in the following locations:
Auckland: Protesters will gather in Pukekohe from 08:30 and Mangatawhiri Road in Mangatawhiri from 08:45 before traveling to Auckland, crossing the Harbour Bridge, and converging on Victoria Park by noon.
Christchurch: Drivers will caravan into the city, ending at Hagley Park at the intersection of Moorhouse Avenue and Lincoln Road, by noon. Protesters will also travel by foot from Cathedral Square to Hagley Park from 11:30. Convoys from the West Coast and Northern Canterbury regions will also converge on the city.
Dunedin: Activists will drive along State Highway 1 and circle the one-way system at noon. Others will gather on foot at Queens Garden at the same time. Supporters from the South Otago and Southland regions will also join this demonstration.
Wellington: Drivers will gather on Cambridge Terrace and drive to Parliament House via Molesworth Street from 11:30.
Authorities will increase security and monitor the protests, especially if demonstrators converge near government buildings or prominent landmarks. Protesters will likely drive along major roadways, causing localized transport disruptions on arterial routes into affected cities. More intense transport disruptions are possible in city centers until the protests end.
Advice
Monitor local sources for traffic information Oct. 20. Exercise caution near demonstration sites. Follow all instructions from security personnel. Plan for localized transport disruptions in affected cities; allow additional time to reach destinations in downtown areas.
