Catholic institutions near Parliament took measures aimed at ensuring the safety of their communities during the 23-day occupation of Parliament grounds by protestors against vaccine mandates.
The board of St Mary’s College, Wellington, took the decision to move to online learning from February 24.
Principal Andrew Murray explained in a February 23 facebook post that this decision was taken for several reasons, including that it was “unsafe to walk around Thorndon’s shops – there are numerous protestors at Thorndon New World who are not wearing masks and are challenging those who do”.
Other reasons were the fact that students were being dropped off by buses further into the city and made to walk past protestors, and many parents, students and staff had “expressed concern about the current level of safety in Thorndon”.
“As you are aware, the safety and well-being of our students and staff is paramount,” Mr Murray wrote.
“This is an unusual situation, which has caught many by surprise and we must respond appropriately.”
The college still supervised children on site, and stated in a March 2 facebook post that the site would remain open for learning, and that supervision was available on site. But all learning would be set online.
Other safety measures during the protest involved students only taking certain routes to the college, with access to the college being through a safe entrance, and the deployment of security guards, police, Maori wardens and volunteers.
In a March 6 facebook post, it was stated that police confirmed that they would again have a police/Māori warden presence in the area on March 7, and the use of a police-supported route to access the college was recommended.
A similar safe route, supported by police, Māori Wardens, Wellington City Council staff and whānau volunteers, was recommended for pupils accessing Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Thorndon during the final days of the protest. Earlier in the protest, staff and volunteers supported the same route.
In consultation with the Sacred Heart Cathedral School Board and the Ministry of Education, a decision was taken to learn from home on March 3 and 4, following the enforced end of the protest on March 2. There was supervision at the school for the students who required it. Face-to-face learning was available again from March 7, and advice was given about security and route use for students using bus or train services.
On February 18, it was reported that Sacred Heart principal Bernadette Murfitt was among Wellington community leaders who signed an open letter asking “that the current illegal protest activities in and around the Parliament precinct end immediately. There is a right to peaceful protest in New Zealand that it is important to uphold. However, this protest has gone well beyond that point”.
“Those who live, work and go to school and university have been subjected to significant levels of abuse and harassment when attempting to move about in the area,” the letter stated, before making points about the impact on traffic, business and university study.
“The people of Wellington have had enough of this illegal activity, harassment and disruption, we ask that it end immediately,” the letter concluded.
The protests also saw the temporary closure of The Catholic Centre and the Connolly Hall chapel.
A March 6 Sacred Heart Cathedral notice stated that, “With the protestors having now departed, and [with] the concrete bollards due to be removed over the next few days, we look forward to getting back to normality. So long as there is no renewed activity around the area over this weekend, Connolly Hall chapel will reopen on Tuesday (March 8), beginning with 8.00am Mass”.
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