Demonstrators set up a yurt outside Nelson's court house at the hearing of a Motueka couple ordered to remove illegal dwellings from their property.
About 50 supporters turned out to show support for the couple and the wider issue of affordable housing.
Demonstrators set up a yurt outside the court. Photo: RNZ
Tasman District Council has taken legal action after the couple failed to comply with a court order to remove illegal dwellings at their home.
Jan-Albert Droppers and Irma Jager have been at odds with Tasman District Council since 2011, when they defied an abatement notice to clear the Motueka property of a number of other people living in the Mongolian yurts.
The dispute ended up in the Environment Court last year.
Although the couple finally removed the dwellings last week, the council has brought two charges against them.
In the Nelson District Court on Wednesday, Judge Tony Zohrab urged the couple to seek legal advice and adjourned the case until end of June.
