What an amazing day! Thank you to all of you who answered the call and turned up, and to all of you who couldn’t come but were there with us in spirit.
Over two hundred locals and supporters, arborists and activists gathered at dawn and - with peaceful, civil disobedience, song and solidarity - we kept these trees standing for another day!
This was people power, and peaceful protest at its best.
It’s not over yet though, we must keep the pressure on. Right now you can help by sharing one of these news stories, and tagging Phil Goff on Facebook or Twitter - he needs to know that people want him to step up and protect these trees!
NEWS TO SHARE:
RNZ Interview with Zane in the tree-tops
Newshub morning TV coverage
Stuff.co.nz in depth coverage and images
Here’s what happened:
The contractors turned up early with big machines, private security and the police to help them. But we were there before them, and we outnumbered them by far.
More than a dozen police, twenty security guards and a large digger on a trailer arrived around 7:45 am.
We were ready with ten climbers in the tree-tops, four people locked onto trees, and three more locked on to two half-tonne barrels at the entrance.
One large group of blocked police from getting on to the property, while more sat on the truck and digger to prevent them moving. Local filmmaker Ken Sparks attached himself onto the digger with a steel pipe lock for good measure.
There was nothing they could do and by 9:30 am, the contractors decided to cancel the day’s work.
We ended the protest with a karakia at 10:30am by Ngāti Whātua kaumatua Rihari Nahi.
We’re here again today as we have been every day now for 75 days, and we will keep going for as long as it takes.
We’re calling on Mayor Phil Goff to start an urgent discussion with the property owners to acquire the land, and on the Government to reinstate general tree protection to ensure trees are safe here, across the city and around Aotearoa.
Please stay tuned, we may need you again!
PS. Please also watch and share this video of Ihumaatao protest leader Pania Newton visiting Canal Road and calling on Mayor Phil Goff to step in.