As violence erupted and fires broke out yesterday on Wellington's Parliament lawns, the world's media reacted to the dramatic conflict between protesters and NZ Police.
The Sydney Morning Herald produced one of the more dramatic headlines with: "Pepper spray and pitchforks as NZ police battle Covid mandate protesters".
The Australian publication went on to set the scene for one of the most dramatic conflicts between police and protesters in New Zealand in decades.
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"Wearing riot gear and using pepper spray, New Zealand police on Wednesday moved in on the hundreds of protesters who have been camped outside the nation's Parliament for more than three weeks," wrote the Sydney Morning Herald.
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The Daily Mail featured a story on its homepage referring to today's events at the capital as: "Wild scenes as New Zealand police clear out anti-vax demonstrators camped out the front of Parliament: 'We're making up ground'"
Posted by The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Meanwhile, Canada's CBC News said it was "the most significant use of force yet by authorities against the protesters".
— CBC News (@CBCNews) March 2, 2022
"Clashes renewed as New Zealand police move to break up anti-vaccine blockade," the Canadian media site wrote.
In the United States, the Washington Post described today's events as the "final act of defiance".
"It appeared to be a final act of defiance as police broke up the camp that protesters first set up more than three weeks ago," the Post wrote.
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"Police retook control of the Parliament grounds although dozens of protesters remained in nearby streets, some hurling objects at police. Parliament's once carefully manicured grounds were left scarred, a children's slide in ruins."
Australia's ABC spoke to one protester who had made several trips from her home in Auckland to attend the protest.
Kate Siegert, who is unvaccinated, told ABC she lost her job in IT due to the mandates.
"We are fighting for our standard of life. We want our sovereign right to our bodies," she told ABC.
— Reuters (@Reuters) March 2, 2022
A headline from Australia's news.com read: "New Zealand protesters burn camp after riot police move in".
The Murdoch News Corporation publication went on describe the scene: "anti-vaccination demonstrators set alight their own protest camp outside Parliament".
International media organisation Reuters wrote that "officers tried to completely clear the grounds".
"Taking inspiration from truckers' demonstrations in Canada, hundreds of protesters have been blocking streets with trucks, cars and motorcycles, in a protest that has led to violent clashes."
