Many dairies across the country have shut today for two hours in protest at rising burglaries and in solidarity after 34-year-old Janak Patel died on the job in an alleged aggravated robbery at the Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham.
An hour into the demonstration, the crowd spilled off the footpath and into the streets, as police tried to clear the road.
Police were urging protesters to move on to allow the road to reopen to traffic.
“I know exactly what your frustration is and we don’t intend to use force to move people off, but we need to move people off the main road soon,” Senior Sergeant Greg Sowter said.
“We certainly support their right to protest.”
Among those gathered outside the office was Kalidas Patel, father of Janak.
Through tears, he said wanted the harshest penalty for the offender. He does not want “another Janak Patal”.
The crowd chanted “enough is enough, we need justice”.
Act Party leader David Seymour joined those protesting outside the Prime Minister’s electorate office.
All dairies in the Grey Lynn shop centre have closed their doors in solidarity.
In Wellington, a minute’s silence was held outside Grant Robertson’s electorate office, before the crowd started chanting “enough is enough” and “we want justice”.
A 34-year-old man was arrested on Friday and charged with aggravated robbery and murder following Patel’s death.
A second man, 42, was also arrested and has been charged with robbery. Both men were remanded in custody on Saturday.
A third person has also been charged with robbery. The 36-year-old man is due to appear in the Auckland District Court today.
Govt ‘doesn’t want to change the law’
While some dairy owners approached by the Northern Advocate declined to speak, they had notices announcing the nationwide vigil clearly displayed outside their stores.
Destination Dairy owner Jayesh Patel, based in Whangārei, was among the shops closing their doors at 12.30pm for the two-hour vigil today.
Patel spoke out at what he said was the Government’s lack of action around protecting dairy owners and their staff.
“They don’t want to change the law,” he said.
Cabinet was today meeting to discuss ways in which violent crimes against dairies could be countered.
“We had to put the bollards [up] so no one can ram raid [us] with a car. But now they’ve started to murder,” Patel said.
‘We’re upset and gutted’ - Dairy owners want action
Springfield Superette owner Raj Kumar was one of at least four dairy owners in Rotorua who would be taking part in today’s nationwide vigil.
“We are upset and gutted. Everybody has knots in their stomachs.”
Kumar said while the closures were not imposed on anyone, he felt it was important to make a stand and show dairy owners wanted action.
“Some of us were up in Auckland last week and we went to the vigil to pay our respects,” Kumar said.
“When you lose somebody like Janak Patel you feel for him and his family. He was a young person protecting his home. It was his right.”
