Former National Party leader Judith Collins says police are “almost bystanders” at the the anti-Covid-19 mandate protest at Parliament, and they should have taken action earlier.
The occupation is now on its 14th day, with frustrations growing over police inaction and their focus on de-escalation.
Collins, who was also National's former police minister said police should have acted earlier.
“I think it’s a shame that it wasn’t dealt with much earlier in the piece. And I think the other point is, is that now the protesters have pretty much dug in and that’s going to be a real problem for the police.
“When the Government made the appointment they were very clear for the Police Commissioner that they wanted a much more softly, softly, style of policing that unfortunately has now come back to bite them.
Live updates: Arrests made as concrete barriers erected near Parliament
“What we've seen in the protests outside Parliament is that the police are almost bystanders."
Collins said local businesses and residents near Parliament were being “severely inconvenienced” by the protests, though it was good that police had started to take some action on Monday.
In an effort to contain protest activity, and as part of the de-escalation tactic, police installed concrete barriers on roads around the perimeter of Parliament early on Monday morning.
It saw a stand off between protesters and police, where multiple officers were injured and eight people arrested.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster on Sunday said an alternative to the de-escalation focus would cause more harm than good.
“I think police could clear the protest, but I don’t think the harm that would come from how we would need to do that is acceptable relative to the harm that the protest is doing,” he told Q+A.
A petition to end the protest has gained over 115,000 signatures, with many residents and business owners who say they want to feel safe in their own city again.
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