Aotearoa is Not For Sale Protest In Auckland

Aotearoa is Not For Sale

By Sebastian Mackay

The ``Aotearoa is not for sale’’ protest was met with a mass police presence when it passed through Auckland today.

The Hikoi aims to march down the North Island and arrive in Wellington in two weeks time.

A large number of police met the peaceful protest by around 2000 people when it left Britomart train station late this afternoon.

Led by Socialist Aotearoa the protest began with chants such as 'this is what democracy looks like' then followed through with 'John Key you will fail, Aotearoa is not for sale.'

Placards read 'don't sell my future' and 'unite.'

The protest then sat in the middle of Queen Street following 'If you hate John Key sit down.'

One protester says 'this is history in the making…this is beyond rascism, beyond political colours..this is like nothing I've ever seen before.'

There were fears amongst the peaceful protest that if National do go through with the planned sale of state assets the response would be 'like England, or there will burnings like Greece.'

The 2,000 strong protest was addressed at its destination, Aotea square by Labour Party leader David Shearer and Green Party leader Dr Russell Norman.

Shearer said 'They will sell the assets to foreigners and that means the power prices will go up. This will be okay for those that can afford but others will be saddled with larger power prices.'

'We will fight this with you on the streets and in parliament' Shearer said, assuring the protesters of Labour's intentions to prevent the sales.

A citizens referendum has been started with the aim of gaining 300,000 signatures. The result of which will lead to Parliament needing to call public vote on the state owned asset sales.

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