The police presence at Ihumātao has increased after land protectors claim police reneged on a promise to allow them onto the whenua to karakia to their tupuna maunga.
"I'm suprised, I'm really suprised. We had an agreement this morning that we would be allowed to karakia to our tupuna maunga and just before we were about to walk onto our whenua and karakia to our maunga they brought on these police presence. Pōuri te ngākau," SOUL spokesperson Pania Newton told Te Ao during a livestream from Ihumātao.
Te Ao reporter Kereama Wright, who is at Ihumātao and reports seeing a line up of up to 100 police, says the relationship between SOUL and police is at a distinct low-point.
"It is fair to say the police presence here at Ihumātao has been ramped up and the relationship between the leaders of SOUL and the police leaders here on the ground has come to an all-time low," says Wright.
"Up until now it has been a peaceful passive protest and the police presence was meant to have decreased but they have returned today."
Newton told Te Ao that police have broken a promise to land protectors.
"This morning we had an agreement whereby we would be about to karakia, waerea and karanga to our maunga. They've broken that promise this morning. They promised that we would have access and now we don't have access. Yes, that trust has been broken once again, the police presence has increased. Our karakia will continue. It's a sad day, especially on our Rātapu."
Land protectors stood peacefully a short distance from the police line up singing waiata and saying karakia.
"Tears are flowing on both sides, police and protectors," says Wright.
Newton acknowledged the support of the wider community and emphasised the peaceful resistance of the land protectors.
"It's a very sad day for us, especially in light of we have our Asian, Muslim and indigenous communities and nations with us here today to tuku te karakia to send prayers to our maunga. All we want to do is carry out our ceremonial processes, our ceremonial rituals to our maunga and we haven't had access to our maunga now for over two weeks," says Newton.
"So we are very disheartened and sad at this time but our kaupapa will continue. We continue to be peaceful and positive and our kaupapa is a passive resistance."