Police have serious concerns for the children involved in the protest and are urging Wellington protesters to take them home with them.
Police is working with Oranga Tamariki to ensure children are at the forefront of planning and response decisions.
We estimate around 30 children are currently present at the protest at Parliament grounds.
Police are also aware of a number of protesters planning to travel to Wellington to join the protest over the weekend. We urge people to stay away from an occupation site that is no longer a safe environment for families and children.
The focus for Police is to contain the current perimeters of the protest and continue to maintain a safe community for our Wellington residents.
Any vehicles that arrive and park illegally outside of the protest perimeter may be subject to towing and impounding.
Police will continue to exercise judgment about the application of tactics. For that reason, we will continue to engage in order to reduce the impact of the protest.
There have been a total of 132 arrests made to date in relation to incidents at the protest grounds.
This work is part of our ongoing efforts to reduce the impact of the protest on Wellington residents.
A visible presence will remain at Parliament this evening as Police continue to monitor protest activity.
Police will continue to maintain our reassurance patrols, with assistance from Maori Wardens.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre