Climate protesters blocking the southbound lane of Wellington's urban motorway are lucky to have escaped injury this morning.
Three protesters for the Restore Passenger Rail climate action group were met by angry motorists, one of whom grabbed them and drove his vehicle between the people on the road.
The protesters sat down on the stretch of State Highway 1 just ahead of the northern entrance to the Terrace Tunnel about 8am.
The frustrated motorist tore a banner from the protesters and hurled abuse at them.
A struggle ensued as supporters attempted to stop the man grabbing the seated protesters.
The man swatted aside the phone of one person filming the altercation and threw an item of protesters' clothing into the northbound lane.
He re-entered his vehicle and drove towards the line.
"Just move forward a bit, I'll run them over," he said.
The man shouted to another motorist between his van and the protesters.
"If you're happy to go to court then so am I. I ain't stopping," he said.
A supporter of the protesters who tussled with the man was carried a short distance as she clung to the front of the vehicle.
Activist Magdalena Vith said she would do the same thing again.
"He drove closer and closer and I decided for myself, I'm here to protect my friends, these people fighting for our future.
"I also put my body in the way of the machine to protect people sitting on the road."
Police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, cleared the road and took three people into custody.
There were no significant injuries.
Traffic resumed just before 8.15am.
