Police send reinforcements to Ihumātao protest 'to maintain order'

August 5, 2019
Police line up in front of protestors at Ihumātao in South Auckland.


Police have sent reinforcements to the Māori land protest at Ihumātao in South Auckland, saying the move is to maintain order.

Members of the group Save Our Unique Landscape (SOUL) group are continuing their occupation of the land at Māngere, trying to stop development company Fletcher Residential building several hundred houses on the site.

Read more:  Shane Jones labels protestors at Ihumātao 'freedom campers'

The Infrastructure Minister says scattered “stones on an old cow farm” don't have greater significance than building houses for whānau.

Superintendent Jill Rogers said tonight police are continuing to monitor the situation at Ihumātao "and assess our operational response". 

She said the decision has been made to deploy additional police officers to maintain order and ensure there is no breach of the peace. 

"Police are also continuing to have ongoing dialogue with protest organisers to ensure protest action remains peaceful," Ms Rogers said in a statement.

The protestors say the land is next to an historic reserve.

A 1 NEWS reporter at the scene tonight says police have pushed back into the space protestors were taking up. 

Officers are standing shoulder to shoulder, facing protestors.

A protest organiser says there was no communication that police were going to do this tonight. 

Organisers have been are speaking with police at the scene.

Our reporter says music is playing, people are singing and the vibe doesn’t feel threatening. 

Thousands have gathered in South Auckland.

The Māori King visited the site at the weekend and asked that both sides in the dispute meet this week to find a way to move forward after weeks of mana whenua peacefully protesting to stop the housing development.

SHARE ME

More Stories