A person has been arrested after trying to drive a car into a group of police officers on Tuesday morning. 

In a statement, police said officers had been working to reduce the perimeter around Parliament by moving concrete barriers further into areas occupied by protesters. 

It has been 15 days since anti-mandate protesters descended onto Parliament's lawn, setting up an illegal tent city and parking cars on surrounding streets as well as Victoria University of Wellington's Pipitea campus. 

Teenagers have been scared to walk to school, with one student telling Re: how she was yelled at for wearing her mask. Locals are also fed up and a petition has been launched, calling on the protesters to go home. 

Police officers remain near Parliament - some have shields to protect themselves from objects thrown by protesters such as human waste, the statement said.  

Local iwi have also spoken out against the protest. 

Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust chair Kara Puketapu-Dentice urged political leaders in a statement on Monday to work on resolving the ongoing occupation that has caused serious disruption and harm to local businesses and residents. 

“Our own people have been affected by the occupation, including threats against our kuia and kaumātua and vandalism of our offices and buildings in the city," Puketapu-Dentice said.
 
The iwi is still hopeful of a peaceful resolution and supports the efforts of everyone who has been working to maintain the peace, the statement said.

Greater Wellington Regional Council's environmental protection team are also investigating reports of raw sewage entering the stormwater system from around the Parliament area. This waste was currently discharging in the western side of the harbour. 

People had been asked to avoid swimming, fishing or doing any other recreational activities in the harbour until notified. 

In a statement on Monday, Ngāti Toa was shocked that pollutants had emerged in Wellington waterways due to protesters at Parliament. 

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Board chair Callum Katene said that the Rūnanga has been informed that protesters had been dumping raw sewage and wastewater, and emptying portaloo tanks into stormwater drains around Parliament.

“Ngāti Toa has worked long and hard in the protection of our environment, and what we are now seeing is that this occupation is undermining years of mahi in the environmental space,” Katene said.

Ngāti Toa's chief executive Helmut Modlik called for protesters to improve their health and safety measures at the protest site immediately. 

“These latest activities are a serious risk to our environment, but also to public health – both at the protest site, and those living and working in Wellington city,” Modlik said.

“The dumping of raw sewage and wastewater into storm water drains must stop immediately. Every Māori and person with an environmental conscience will understand our concern. Quite frankly, it’s just paru and we implore Māori at the protest to show leadership with regards to te taiao.” 

“As I have already stated, we support the right to peaceful protest and call for a resolution as soon as possible," Modlik said.

Top image: Police try to remove driver who had had driven into protest. (Source: Supplied)

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