Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Councillors back crackdown on protestors

Updated at 12:06 pm on 25 January 2012

Several Auckland Council members say they support council staff who ordered the tents belonging to protestors in Aotea Square to be seized.

Numbers in the Square have grown since Monday's operation, with about 17 tents now there.

The removal of the tents was ordered by council officers, on the grounds that protestors were breaching bylaws forbidding camping in public spaces.

Until then, the council had been focussing on securing a court order that would allow protestors to be evicted and imprisoned.

Radio New Zealand News tried to contact all 20 councillors to ask if they back the change in tactics. Five responded, all saying they support the action.

Crs Penny Webster, George Wood, Cameron Brewer, Ann Hartley and Arthur Anae say the Occupy group has outstayed its welcome and needs to leave.

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