Students arrested at Auckland protest

Student protesters chanted "we've got the power" yesterday as they surrounded Auckland central police station after earlier shutting down Queen St.


Police stayed inside as protesters knocked on the station's doors and chanted "free all political prisoners". In all, 43 protesters were arrested. The police eventually gave up trying to control the spontaneous march through the central city.


Earlier attempts by police to corral the protesters had led to skirmishes near Symonds St. A group of officers became separated as they tried to make arrests and wrestled on the ground with protesters as jeering crowds surged around them. As a university lecturer appealed for calm other protesters threw shoes at police and tipped off their hats.


After marching through Albert Park the students shut down parts of Queen St twice during peak hour traffic. Several hundred ran through Mid City mall to evade police, who then backed off for the rest of the protest. Students pushed their way into the lobby of SkyCity casino, chanting "f*** the casino", as staff rushed to steer them back outside.


The march culminated with protesters sitting crosslegged on Queen St across from the Town Hall. Traffic was blocked for 30 minutes as protesters chanted "Bill English, we're all Greeks".


The students, supported by a number of unions, were protesting education cuts announced in last week's Budget, which limit eligibility for students' allowances and require graduates to repay loans at a rate of 12 per cent of their income rather than 10.


Joe Carolan of Socialist Aotearoa said students were dressed up in togas and waving red flags to accept English's challenge last week that they should "protest like the Greeks".


He described police as "aggressive" and explains at one point they came into the crowd and arrested a petite Asian girl which caused boos from protesters and onlookers.


He was not sure why people were arrested saying it was their democratic right to march.


Officers were linking arms and pushing against the crowd as it came up Symonds St.


He said people finishing work were turning up to see what was going on at the university.


Nathalie Jaques of protest group We Are the University said the action was part of a new student movement called Blockade the Budget.


She said they were planning further protest action for next semester. Today was the last day of lectures for students.


At a post-budget breakfast last week English told a business audience that most people thought students should "count themselves lucky they've still got interest free loans''.


"Yes, there's a protest movement out there but who's really listening to them?" English said, in response to a question from the audience.


"They get on TV and they can make a bit of a racket ... dragging a few rubbish bins around, they need some Greeks to show them how to do it.''


English was not willing to comment on the protests when contacted this evening.


Protest organisers said the budget cuts were "scapegoat politics of a terminally ideological government".


A Facebook page for their protest said education investment is needed for a healthy society.


"When the government and the elite insist that the only way to fund education is indebtedness, we say that education is a human right and a social necessity."