A pensioner trying to pay her bills was caught in the crossfire as climate protesters and police jostled outside a Dunedin bank yesterday.
Climate Liberation Aotearoa and 350 Aotearoa spent more than five hours protesting outside the ANZ Moray Pl branch in central Dunedin, part of a series of protests outside the bank’s branches nationwide.
By 8.30am, bank workers were huddled on the corner of the street, unable to enter as climate protesters blocked their path. They were shepherded in after police pushed through the crowd and created a walkway for the employees.
When the bank’s doors opened at 9.30am, police escorted anyone who needed to get in by shoving the protesters aside when they would not move for bank clients.
She shouted she "just wanted to pay a bill" and police attempted to move people out of the way to make a path for her.
However, in the chaos, she ended up falling to the ground.
Police promptly helped her back on her feet.
"You guys just pushed over a 65-year-old," she shouted at the protesters.
She then cried as she was escorted inside by police, while protesters yelled and blamed the officers.
Sometime after the incident, the bank decided to close.
Climate activist Bruce Mahalski, of Dunedin, said it was not protesters that caused her to fall.
He said the protest was specifically organised to be in place before the bank opened.
It was "extremely irresponsible" of the bank to open given that the doors were blocked and there was a "potential for people going in to get injured", he said.
"I don’t understand what the police and the bank were thinking to allow the bank to open ... in this situation — I think they are the people that bear the responsibility.
"I’m really upset about [the lady falling], it’s the last thing we want to happen."
One man walked up to the protesters after the bank shut, shouted at police to let him in, asked for the bank manager and name-called protesters after being told by police the bank had decided to close early.
"Why the f... should [the bank] have to close — unbelievable — get a f...... job, you losers."
Mr Mahalski said ANZ was being targeted because it was the last bank in the country that provided services to the Bathurst Mining Company, which was "plotting to destroy" the Denniston Plateau on the West Coast.
The company owned the nearby Stockton Mine, but was looking to expand.
The protests were also in support of two Climate Liberation Aotearoa activists who had been occupying coal buckets for the past 11 days at the Stockton Mine, blocking coal from being transported to the railway at Ngakawau.
Other banks had committed to withdrawing banking services from the fossil fuel industry but ANZ was "lagging far behind", Mr Mahalski said.
Activist James Cockle was arrested at the bank protest for breaching his bail conditions following a previous charge for protesting at the mine.
He appeared in Dunedin District Court yesterday for breaching the condition not to encourage, support, entice or organise any unlawful protest activity. He disputed the breach and was readmitted to bail to appear in Westport District Court in December.
An ANZ spokeswoman said the bank supported the right to peaceful protest while prioritising the safety of customers and staff.
"Police were present to support customers entering the branch safely.
"However, after assessing the situation, we made the decision to temporarily close the branch."
The bank’s policy was to not lend to "new thermal coal mines, or to expansions, or extensions to the operating life of existing mines".
The statement said the bank had been in contact with 350 Aotearoa to explain its position.
