Protester bruised but still upbeat

A police officer (in helmet) grabs Dunedin anti-TPP protester Olive McRae by the hair as she is...
A police officer (in helmet) grabs Dunedin anti-TPP protester Olive McRae by the hair as she is removed from an Auckland highway during mass protest activity in the city yesterday. Photo: Lisa Owen
Dunedin anti-TPP protester Olive McRae said yesterday's mass protests in Auckland had been "very positive'', and emphasised she did not want what happened to her to distract from the success of the overall protest.

This was despite a badly swollen scalp, and bruising elsewhere on her body sustained during a day of protest, including an incident in which her hair was pulled by a police officer, during a motorway protest yesterday afternoon.

Contacted for comment last night, Ms McRae said of the way she had been treated: "Yes, it was traumatic, yes it was horrible''.

But she was "uncomfortable'' with the news media focusing too much on an "individual perspective'' and her own situation.

This would be "very unfortunate'', and the focus should be given to the overall protest, its success, and the causes involved, including an anti-TPP message and concerns about Maori land rights.

Ms McRae (34) said she had not laid a complaint with police over her treatment.

Superintendent Richard Chambers, of Auckland, said an estimated 5000 people had participated in the protests and he dismissed suggestions police had behaved in a heavy-handed way, The New Zealand Herald reported.

Police had demonstrated "outstanding professionalism''.

Asked about a protester having her hair pulled by police, he said he felt the action was necessary.

A protester had "attempted to run in front of vehicles'' and had made an attempt to get on the motorway, Supt Chambers said.

This had been "incredibly dangerous'' for that person, and also for road users, so police had taken "some affirmative action'' to prevent anyone being hurt.

Ms McRae emphasised she had been engaged in a peaceful protest, and she and fellow protesters had gone to great lengths to ensure no members of the public, including motorists, were injured or put at risk.

She rejected suggestions the hair pulling was necessary to remove her from the highway for her own safety, and said police had used excessive force.

Ms McRae received some medical attention after the incident and planned to get a fuller check today.

Some of her bruising occurred when police wrenched her arms free from those of her fellow protesters, she said.

The protest had "shut down Auckland''.

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