One arrested as Ngāti Pāoa occupation removed from Waiheke foreshore

One individual has been arrested after police and safety guards arrived with council employees to take away a Ngāti Pāoa occupation on Waiheke Island on Friday morning.

Auckland Central Space Commander Inspector Grant Tetzlaff stated police assisted Auckland Council employees at Pūtiki Bay on Friday morning and arrested a 53-year-old man in relation to an alleged assault and possession of an offensive weapon.

The occupation was established by folks of Ngāti Pāoa descent on the foreshore at Kennedy Level, Pūtiki Bay, in opposition to the development of a marina which started there in March 2021.

Constructions have been erected on the seaside over time as some Ngāti Pāoa descendants, in addition to Waiheke residents, fought to cease the marina.

On Friday, police and safety guards had been stationed alongside the street and seaside whereas council employees introduced in a digger to take away the constructions.

Kathryn Ngapo (Ngāti Pāoa), who grew up on the island and protested in opposition to the marina, stated she was grateful to the person, who had stayed on the web site for a very long time.

“He’s caught it out by himself and stood the bottom for Ngāti Pāoa. I’m grateful to him for taking the stand, together with by some very unhealthy climate.

“What he’s been doing is expressing, in a sound means, the apply as a kaitiaki of defending our whenua, our moana.”

Auckland Council’s common supervisor licensing and regulatory compliance James Hassall stated council “labored with assist companies to take away the unlawful occupiers” on the bay after there had been quite a few conversations, communications and notices delivered to the occupier to vacate the positioning since 2022.

”In June, the council issued the remaining occupiers with a by-law discover for non-compliance with the Public Security & Nuisance Bylaw 2013,“ Hassall stated.

The occupiers had been requested to vacate the positioning and take away the constructions by June 30, 2023.

”After granting an extension to 31 July 2023, additional efforts to agree a departure date have been unsuccessful.”

Hassall stated the positioning was fenced on Friday morning to permit contractors to work safely.

“Cautious consideration has been given to the wellbeing of the occupiers and their private results.”

Quick-term storage has been supplied for private objects and the stays of the unlawful constructions had been taken to the native refuse station, he stated.