Jerigo Rock Archer / Stuff
A digger loads protesters’ belongings into a dumpster after occupiers were evicted from the Māhanga Bay site on Thursday morning.
- Police arrested six people while putting out occupiers at Māhanga Bay
- A digger was brought in to clean the site this afternoon.
- The occupation began with the remnants of a 23-day anti-mandate occupation based on Parliament
- Niwa and the Crown own the land on which the occupiers live
Six people were arrested and diggers were brought in after nearly four months to clean up the occupation site at Wellington’s Māhanga Bay.
The six arrests on Thursday included four for trespassing, one for obstruction and one on a warrant. Court dates have yet to be confirmed.
On May 24, police issued an infringement notice on behalf of Niwa and LINZ, who own the land, to the occupiers who took effect on the evening of May 25.
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“The police made fresh calls this morning on about 15 occupants to leave the area,” a police spokesperson said.
Jerigo Rock Archer / Stuff
Police within the complex at Māhanga Bay, who have occupied protesters since early March.
The occupation began at the end of the 23-day parliamentary session in March and then turned into a protest over Māori land rights.
Police escorted people back to the site to get their property back, the police spokesman said.
“Property will be stored safely outside the premises and arrangements will be made for owners to get it back. Once the site has been cleared, it will be returned to the owners. ”
Police said they were working to connect the occupiers with Kahungungu Whānau services to provide support.
Jerigo Rock Archer / Stuff
Workers in hazardous materials packages break down equipment after protesters were ousted from the Māhanga Bay site on Thursday morning.
The council’s community services staff have also visited the occupiers in recent weeks to provide welfare support, said Wellington City Council spokesman Richard MacLean.
Major Andy Foster said he was “very pleased” that the occupation was finally resolved.
“I share the frustration I know was felt by locals and especially by the wonderful team dealing with the last rats to free Miramar predator.”
Jerigo Rock Archer / Stuff
An occupier, with belongings in a shopping trolley, is escorted by the police from the premises.
Niwa spokeswoman Jessica Rowley said she was working with police, LINZ and the council to ensure the “safe and efficient” departure of the occupiers with their belongings.
“Now the occupiers have evacuated the premises, any remaining belongings, including vehicles, will be removed, and the premises will be secured from vehicle access,” Rowley said.
Jerigo Rock Archer / Stuff
More than a dozen police officers are involved in the operation.
Paul Eagle, Rongotai MP, wanted to thank the local community, who were “extremely patient” over the months the group occupied the site.
“I had a lot, a lot of communication with people who were irritated by the situation. “Local people were scared, they saw what was happening in Parliament and did not want it to be repeated there,” he said.
The “mana of the efforts” by Predator-Free Wellington, which worked for several years to eradicate pests from the peninsula, was “despised” by the group that camped there, Eagle said.
“There must be a dialogue with the community at some point to ensure that this can never happen again. It should never happen again. I was clear from the beginning that they were not welcome. ”
KEVIN STENT / Stuff
The self-described rangatira of the occupation, Te Pou Raukawakawa.
Predator Free Miramar founder Dan Henry said he was glad the police acted.
Trappers have not been near the site for some time, Henry said, but will return soon to service the traps.
The occupation was plagued by concerns about anti-social behavior and unhygienic conditions and at one point rose to more than a hundred people.
KEVIN STENT
The group moved into the Niwa-owned site in early March and an infringement notice was issued in May.
The Department of Conservation is investigating an incident at the bay after images of a seal being skinned were posted by a person in the group on social media late last month.
On April 19, council staff, aided by the police, demolished two temporary structures near the road at Māhanga Bay. About a dozen tents, a few vehicles and a large kitchen tent remained within the fenced area.
KEVIN STENT / Stuff
The kitchen inside the complex where the occupants have been living since March.
Te Pou Raukawakawa, the self-described rangatira of the occupation, said at the time that the group supported the actions of the council and the police to remove a fringe group from the camp, but they planned to remain on the site indefinitely.
Previously, he said the group were occupiers of Shelly Bay who were forced from the site.
However, a spokesman for Mau Whenua, the group responsible for the occupation of Shelly Bay, denied any ties to the group.
In April, Rowley said Niwa was negotiating to sell the land, and that sale required vacant ownership.