Thread by @rustie5555

Okay. Now that I've cleared out of the action, here's roughly what I saw going on as the #Convoy2022NZ occupation was disassembled.

This was all around 4:45pm through to 7:45pm this evening.

Gotta untangle your flag so you can signal distress properly.

This old geezer here was chewing that cops ear off like an old soak boring a bartender out of their mind.

This was the state of the Lambton bus exchange during a lull, before things really kicked off.

The appropriation and misuse of the Tino Rangatiratanga flag is despicable, but I honestly also have to respect this guy's fit.

Brief visit from the best boy.

Probably about $600 from Pak n Save right now. Cost of living right?

Given the pressure from the police lines was basically North-South, all the evacuees got squeezed out the train station end.

The pulling the whole tent out move was one I saw a lot of.

This stage was a lot of tense milling about, hurriedly trying to get your shit boxed up and the hell out of dodge.

This guy here was pretty constant through out the whole occupation. Generally trying to keep things calm from when I saw him. Ish.

Possibly having a brief pause for an existential crisis.

Always time for a powerbar.

Like, fuck this guy obviously. But I also saw him and thought "there but for the grace of God...".

General evac scenes on Stout Street.

From here shit heated up real quick. But if I don't go help with dinner right now I am going to get divorced.

Okay (raggu was delicious by the way) so this was the real nuts bit.

Police hosing down the general area. Aforementioned Panheads being delivered in response.

These guys got probably a better view than I did. Almost felt like waving.

Still don't know what those cars were up to but they had me worried for a minute.

General on the ground chaos. Not sure if that van is referencing Toto as in "Africa" or Toto as in "not in Kansas anymore.

This bitch right here. Was going oooooon and ooooon about how considerate the protesters had been and how they made sure to thank the cops every morning.

All being lived streamed. Honestly the narcissism of some of the occupiers was something else. Gotta chase that clout.

(Says the guy doing a ~50 tweet thread. We are all fucking the text man for texts.)

Trev and friends keeping an eye on proceedings.

Assorted stuff. I want a buddy cop movie about the two dudes keeping the Court safe.

Also this last guy was still having a good time at this point.

Honey. Yeah. I know. Can we not discuss this now Sharron? Look... Can you just come pick me up.

Getting your kid away before the tear gas starts. These folks are doing better than a lot of people.

Keep an eye on this lad.

Not quite the Vancouver riot couple.

Rather than berating the cops, this lady was going ALL IN on the crowd of bystanders. How we let this happen. They warned us. We're cowards. We didn't stand up to oppression etc etc.

Which in other circumstance is a message the median Wellington CBD passer-by probably deserves.

This is the part where I run away.

Managed to climb down.

Play acting at revolution.

For the next eight minutes or so these guys probably though they were about to storm the Bastille.

This is the bit where the cops start (briefly) having a Bad Time.

We regret to inform you the wastelander guy is cancelled.

So right about here was probably the best moment the occupiers had: picking up the fire hose and turning it back on the cops.

I just... Still cannot believe this was a real thing that happened.

#whywellington

Gonna let the next few speak for themselves.

...

...

Eventually the police begin to regather themselves.

Big Flag Guy interlude.

Aaaand the inevitable counter offensive...

From "fuck around" to "find out" in record time.

So I missed the bit where the police pushed through the central bus interchange. Because I am not getting paid enough to head into the deal with *gestures* close up.

From here, all the protestors got pushed to the train station intersection.

Is that bad? That seems bad?

Quick! Secure the flags!

Again: visual metaphors. Godamn.

Bro not now, she's got first aiding to do.

When bae suggests "failing to overthought the government" as a date idea, and you're not convinced but at least your matching outfits look cute.

"What am I doing with my life? Whelp, no time for that, these world possessions aren't gonna evac themselves".

I've got nothing glib for these few. Just... yep this definitely is something that happened...

So about two hours back, on the left here is lad is yelling at the cops that "we've got a horse float that's going to come through here"...

The cops were totally confused.

But he did, in fact, have a horse float coming through here.

Someone finally making used of a Beam helmet.

No, this is absolutely not a body, I don't know what you're talking about. It's everything other than a human corpse. Move along please.

Well I saved my crappy shelving, that's the important part.

Now, you'd think she was trying to get her patio heater away from the action (hold that thought).

In a last gasp of assuming state responsibilities, the protestors took over traffic management.

It still seems disrespectful to like, the people of Ukraine and other actual refugees. But with the "bundling a random selection of your shit and fleeing" it still seems like the right reference point.

Now. This cunt. He became a real menace for a few minutes...

First he had a go at these nice seeming young left-anarchist types, who I don't think were there in support of the protestors.

Then he had a real dig at @Jasonwalls92

Then he went full tough-guy mode on some 1News camera people.

Then he just stood around like a gimp with is camera crew.

I managed to avoid that dude. But this guy... This guy got right up in my face demanding I "tell the truth".

Like, buddy, I am not the media. I'm just some cunt with a camera like you.

Something something Baudrillard something spectacle something quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Again, someone is going to have a real time writing a media studies paper about this.

Anyway where was I? Oh yea. Things around the train station began to simmer down.

The police weren't advancing so it was all an odd suspended animation.

Protesters, frustrated at not getting their manichean final confrontation with the police decided to mob this random dude's car. Like, not all BMW's in Wellington are Crown limos.

(The Salvation army guy wasn't part of it, he was heading in to try to defuse the situation.)

Still kids on the front lines, even though those parents were well fucking aware what was going on.

Threaten the PM, fling shit at the cops, smash the state. Whatever.

But get your fucking kids out of harms way. What the fuck is wrong with you?

Big Flag Guy interlude.

Last bits from the train station business.

I'm /pretty sure/ these guys were just removing their number plates and futzing around in their car for normal, non-crime reasons.

But reader, I will confess to flagging a cop regardless.

A few shots from the roof. This was the situation when I booked it. police in control of everything except the Thorndon-Stout-Featherston-Bunny intersection (that intersection really is a mess at the best of times).

Oh I think I forgot this moment.

This is where the police line was circe 7:30pm.

I assume by now it's moved forward.

Even if I'm... let's say generally sceptical of the New Zealand Police at best, in this overall situation, I've had to respect for their self-control and professionalism.

But mates: what is that shield wall going to do?

Then there was... This dude...

Zoom zoom buddy.

Same bruh.

Same.

Right. What a fucking day. Hope the ground-level view was interesting. Got a lot of thoughts I need to collect.

Also need to sit myself down and talk myself out of quitting my job and becoming a conflict photojournalist.

✌

Post-script: yeah you'd better clean that fuckin' window.