Saturday's TPPA protest in Wellington

TPPA PROTEST Wellington 15th.August 2015 Speaker Bryan Bruce

Bryan Bruce is an award winning documentary maker and author

Citizens face Police armed with tasers at Wellington TPPA protest march

By Frank Macskasy

the Daily Blog,1

16 August, 2015

At least five weapons were clearly visible, with other policemen and woman wearing bulky jackets that may or may not have concealed more of the devices.

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NZ, Wellington, 15  August – Anti-TPPA protesters, many of them young people in their teens and early 20s, faced off against police armed with tasers on the steps of Parliament.

Believed to be the first time that armed police have deployed tasers in a non-violent, non-threatening situation, at least five police officers were visibly carrying the potentially lethal devices on their belts;

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At least five  weapons were clearly visible, with other policemen and woman wearing bulky jackets that may or may not have concealed more of the devices.

Though there was some minor jostling between one protester and a Parliamentary security guard, there was no violence or any other physical contact between police and members of the public.

The confrontation began when a lone protester made her way to the top of the Parliamentary steps, and seated herself, adopting a meditating position. For a short time, three police attempted to persuade her to move, though no force was used.

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She was followed by others, who also jumped or skirted around the security fence separating the grassy area from the paved Parliamentary forecourt.

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As their numbers swelled to approximately a hundred, extra police arrived quickly and with Parliamentary Security, formed a cordon across the steps leading up to Parliament.

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March organisors and Marshalls attempted to quell the situation by asking people to move back from the steps, without much success.

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Eventually,  jostling and shouting gave way to a calmer atmosphere as March organisors encouraged a constant stream of speakers to address the crowd. The tiny volatile minority, numbering perhaps half a dozen, joined others seated on the steps. One activist played his guitar and sang songs, though at one point he declined a request for “anything by Dave Dobbin“.

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After about a hour, the crowd on the Parliamentary forecourt dispersed of their own volition. Police numbers also reduced, with officers leaving the scene.

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There was no apparent reason for tasers to be deployed on this occasion. The sight of these weapons incited many in the crowd to angry outbursts toward the police.

More than one person was overheard asking what possible use  four or five tasers would have been against a crowd numbering in the hundreds.

One person, who requested anonymity,  said to this blogger;

“Whoever authorised these guns to be brought out needs their head read. It’s a grim day when cops feel the need to show these things when they’re faced with ordinary New Zealanders engaged in lawful protest. It’s like something out of ‘Sleeping Dogs’.  Really, is this where we’ve ended up, armed cops facing off against women and kids? God help us.”

On this occasion, a tense situation was prevented from escalation not by show of force, but by the wit of organisors who distracted the ‘hot heads’ and encouraged dialogue and engagement.

The best strategy in this stand-off was patience.

Coverage from RT

‘No to Corporate greed’: Thousands of Anti-TPP protesters rally in New Zealand

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RT

15 August, 2015

Thousands of demonstrators gathered throughout New Zealand to speak out against the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal on Saturday. Extra police were called in as protesters pushed through barriers in front of the country's parliament building.

Auckland saw the biggest turnout, with an estimated 5,000 people calling on the New Zealand government to “walk away”from the TPP agreement. Many held placards reading “Don't trade our needs for corporate greed,” and “Enough is enough.”

The #TPPANoWay march in Auckland is huge. New Zealanders don't want this deal.pic.twitter.com/LRfLb22RcF

— David Tong (@Davidxvx) August 15, 2015

Video footage shows a demonstrator on stage in the city's Aotea Square asking “Who's got the power?” Energetic demonstrators then respond by saying “We've got the power!”

After being addressed by opposition politicians and campaigners, the demonstrators marched down Queen Street to the US Consulate building.

Earlier this week, the US Consulate emailed American citizens living in New Zealand, advising them to avoid the march.

“We urge citizens to avoid the protest march route as even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational. We remind citizens to always exercise caution when in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations,” the consulate wrote.

Sit in on steps of Parliament. #TPPANoWaypic.twitter.com/LYOtEslNEQ

— SaveOurSchoolsNZ (@Dianne_Khan) August 15, 2015

Meanwhile, police in Wellington were called in to help security staff after a “small group tried to move up the steps of parliament before being stopped by police and security,” Wellington Police area commander Inspector Chris Bensemann said, as quoted by The New Zealand Herald.

He added that officers were “able to contain” the protesters to the bottom of the steps. No arrests were made.

In Nelson, more than 500 people marched through the city, holding up traffic and singing songs written for the protest. Flags representing the Nurses Union, Labour and Green parties, and the Public Service Association could be seen in the crowd.

Large turnouts were also reported in Christchurch, Hamilton and Dunedin. Demonstrations took place in 21 cities and towns throughout the country, according to Radio New Zealand.

Dunedin #TPPANoWay rally the biggest yet. Hundreds of people. pic.twitter.com/eZ0IuYVyRm

— Metiria Turei (@metiria) August 15, 2015

The controversial TPP deal would involve the US and 11 other Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, leading to unfettered free trade and empowering big business in the region.

21 marches, 25000 voices. Delivering 1 message loud & clear all across Aotearoa

@ItsOurFutureNZ@NZGreens#TPPANoWaypic.twitter.com/RqJlqdYkDu

— charlotte (@charliehayes) August 15, 2015

Those against the deal have objected to the secrecy surrounding talks, and opponents in New Zealand say that many of the provisions will undermine the country's sovereignty, giving transnational corporations huge influence over the nation's laws and regulations.

“Make the TPPA document available for public examination before you sign it – not after,” documentary filmmaker Bryan Bruce said, addressing protesters in Wellington.

Four days of talks in Hawaii to finalize the deal stalled earlier this month after participating countries failed to reach an agreement. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said last week that he expects it to be signed by the end of this year.

TPP protests 'send a clear message'

Radio NZ

16 August, 2015

A prominent opponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) says the number of people throughout New Zealand who turned up to march in the rain against the deal sends a strong signal to the Government that it's not wanted.

Wellington's protesters chant, clap and jeer on the steps of Parliament as guest speakers address the crowd    Photo: RNZ

Thousands of people throughout the country protested publicly yesterday, with marches and rallies in 21 cities and towns.

Negotiations for the proposed trade deal - involving New Zealand and 11 other countries - stalled in Hawaii two weeks ago, but the Government still hopes it can be signed this year.

In Auckland, organisers estimated 10,000 people marched down Queen Street and gathered outside the US consulate in Customs St East, chanting slogans.

Auckland University law professor Jane Kelsey said yesterday's turnout showed the Government how unpopular the deal was.

"I'm no good at numbers, I'm just really happy so many people turned up in this lousy weather, not just in Auckland but throughout the country...I think the turnout has put paid to any suggestions by the trade minister that people are politically irrelevant for opposing this deal," she said.

"Over the last couple of months people come to understand the issues, especially as those like the Doctors for Healthy Trade have become more public in their concerns, and as the window for doing the deal closes tighter I think people are now taking it really seriously."

A member of the group Doctors for Healthy Trade, Dr Joshua Freeman, speaking at Aotea Square in Auckland's CBD, said the deal would threaten New Zealanders' healthcare, and make medicines more expensive.

He said under the deal, New Zealand would get less medicines for the same amount of money.

"The price of medicines will go up, it will have to be made up somehow, through the health budget, it may mean other areas of the health budget are diverted -to spend more on medicines," he said.

Dr Freeman said it was unlikely the health budget would be able to expand enough to cover the shortfall.

He said there would also be problems formulating health policy.

"If we wanted to be able to change our food labelling laws, or put restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children in future, then that could be met with a challenge from industry," he said.

Police hold their line at Parliament against the protesters.   Photo: RNZ

In Wellington, an estimated 8,000 people marched to Parliament Grounds, where some protesters pushed through barricades in an attempt to reach the steps of Parliament.

The police said they were able to stop them before they got there, and no arrests were made.

A spokesperson for the campaign group It's Our Future, Edward Miller, said the protest let the Government know how angry the public was over the secrecy surrounding the negotiations.

"If this deal was was being negotiated in the light of day then it would have fallen apart a long time ago. This is fundamentally undemocratic, and it cuts away our rights, it attacks our state-owned enterprises, and our health system, it's not in anyone's interest in this country," he said.

It was also raining in Christchurch, where about 1000 people protested in Hagley Park.

More than 1000 protesters march up Riccarton Road in Christchurch  Photo: RNZ

One of them, Bill, told Radio New Zealand News signing the TPP would be a big mistake.

"It's only aimed to help those at the top, those running low-wage economies, there's no reason for us to accept rock-bottom wages, we cannot compete with those at the bottom of the heap, we should be competing with those at the top, and the TPPA won't help us to do that in any way," he said.

And in Dunedin, where 1500 people marched up George St to the Octagon, an organiser, Jen Olsen, said it was the fourth protest held in the city and by the far the biggest.

"If the tide of political and public opinion turns against the TPP, the National Party are likely to think this could be a very unpopular thing for them, very unpopular come the next election, once people find out the consequences," she said.

Protesters in Dunedin Photo: RNZ

Professor Jane Kelsey said the protesters would continue to fight the deal.

"The problem is, everything's underground, so we're going to have to wait until either the Government tells us, or more likely, someone from offshore tells us, what's happening," she said.