Auckland police were kept busy in the central city on Saturday, as three groups gathered within just a kilometre of each other.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to gather around Aotea Square for the annual Diwali festival of lights celebrations, which symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
Just a kilometre away, police were stationed at Te Komititanga Square where a couple of hundred Destiny Church supporters rallied.
It was feared church members would march up Queen Street to disrupt the Diwali event. However police formed a line across the road at the corner of Wyndham Street.
The group marches in Auckland on Saturday afternoon.
Ziming Li
The Destiny group made the short walk along Queen Street to the Consulate General of India.
There, a group leader stuck a letter to the glass entrance doors that was addressed to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi.
The group disbanded, and police re-opened the road that had been closed for the short march.
Meanwhile, a smaller group gathered, waving large Palestinian and Iranian flags, and highlighting the human cost of military action in the Middle East.
The group sticks a letter to the doors of the Consulate General of India in Auckland.
Ziming Li
Source: RNZ · RNZ | Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa
At a glance
- Topic
- World
- Country
- 🇳🇿 NZ
- Publisher language
- EN
- Added to Allnira