The Star: August 13, 2020

The Star Thursday August 13 2020
6
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Anti-lockdown conspiracists deface
• By Louis Day
MESSAGES written throughout
the central city suggest the same
anti-lockdown sentiment that
has plagued countries overseas is
alive and well in Christchurch.
Words in chalk by the Bridge
of Remembrance state “Unlawful
lockdown,” “Covid kills your
rights” and “Covid lies NZ dies.”
This comes after Auckland
moved into alert level 3 restrictions
and the rest of the country
was placed under alert level 2
yesterday following four new
Covid-19 cases of unknown
origin being discovered in South
Auckland.
The city council told The Star it
was arranging for the messages in
sensitive sites such as the Bridge
of Remembrance to be removed
“as soon as possible.”
The phrases of defiance to Government
restrictions in the face of
a global pandemic written across
the city draw similarities to the
rhetoric used by anti-lockdown
protesters in the United States.
Demonstrators across the states
could be seen bearing signs with
phrases like “plandemic” and
“defy fascist lockdown” during
nationwide demonstrations.
Signs pictured in protests
across England held messages
such as “freedom over fear” and
“I do not consent” which was also
written outside the Christchurch
City Council building yesterday.
Earlier this month, up to 17,000
people in Berlin also protested
the Government increasing
restrictions as cases begin to rise
in the country.
DEMONSTRATING: A
protester holds up a sign
at a rally against the
coronavirus lockdown
in Huntington Beach,
California, due to
coronavirus pandemic.
PHOTO: GETTY
PHOTOS: GEOFF SLOAN