"Central Christchurch business owners stormed through a cordon this afternoon as a protest about their treatment by earthquake authorities became heated.
About 100 CBD business owners were at the protest, which began calmly at 2pm.
The protestors marched to the Civil Defence headquarters at the Christchurch Art Gallery, holding signs and shouting for answers about the fate of their businesses.
"Quakes didn't destroy us, council did," one protestor yelled.
Protestors called for Civil Defence national controller John Hamilton, but when he did not appear some stormed through the inner city cordon.
A soldier, unable to stop the group, simply asked them to be careful.
Some protestors ran down streets, with police in pursuit on bicycles...
Now there needed to be a lockdown while order was reestablished and the area was full of hazards, but the time has since passed and those willing to accept the risks MUST be allowed to retrieve their property. Odds are that if the building has stood so far, It will probably be OK for a short salvage mission.
I note that none of the 'Officials' have have THEIR income reduced to near zero...
3 comments:
And with no police presence, what is stop you, me or anyone else wandering around and helping ourselves to bits and bobs from broken buildings?
Who said 'no police presence'?
Been working there since Sep - off and on. The central area is very badly damaged post 22/2 but the operation now needs a practical engineer overseeing it. The military approach is not the right style once rescue is over. The one way system is stuffing up access as well. Its a shambles with inflated egos and with faceless clip board holders running it. An engineer friend says there will be fall out from the way its being mis-handled. Its a sign of how we have lost what made us special in days gone by, fix it people who punched above their weight.
The army and cops are fine at the barricades, very helpful.
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