Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has joined ACT Party leader David Seymour in criticising the Black Lives Matter protests in NZ today.
Mr Peters wrote on Twitter that protesters in Auckland showed “our team of 5 million are being let down by a small group who think they know better than everyone else. If the authorities allow this to occur then we should be at level 1 tomorrow.”
Earlier, Mr Seymour said the marches were a "slap in the face" for businesses who complied with Covid-19 prevention efforts.
The ACT leader said small businesses had to adhere to strict protocols of social distancing while gatherings of thousands have been allowed to go ahead today.
Marches were held in the Auckland CBD, Christchurch's Cathedral Square, while a vigil was held at Parliament solidarity with the protests in the US, which have swept across the country after the death of George Floyd.
"This gathering is a slap in the face for every business that has restricted its operations, lost money, and laid off staff to comply with the Govts rules," Mr Seymour wrote.
Mr Seymour suggested that rules on gatherings should be reconsidered and "removed now" in support of local businesses who have been forced to limit numbers under Alert Level 2.
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