NZ’s former deputy PM banned from parliament for visiting anti-vaccine-mandate protest

Winston Peters condemned two-year ban as dictatorial behaviour' that should be reserved for third world banana republics'

New Zealand's former deputy prime minister, Winston Peters, has been banned from parliament grounds for two years for visiting anti-vaccine-mandate protesters who occupied the grounds.

The weeks-long February protests, modelled on the Canadian truckers' freedom convoy", took over parliament grounds and blocked off a number of surrounding streets. In the first days of the occupation, the speaker issued a trespass notice to all attendees. But efforts by police to disperse the gathering were repeatedly repelled, until it descended into a violent riot, with at least 40 injured, while tents, piles of rubble and a playground were set aflame.