Those peacefully protecting Ihumātao are on high alert following the sighting of a police officer carrying a rifle around Ihumātao. Organisers are now calling for police officers to remove all arms from the site.
Footage of two armed police officers carrying rifles around Ihumātao has raised alarm bells.
The images captured by bystander Jamie Morgan on his phone were filmed just hours after the Māori King Tuheitia's visit to Ihumātao.
“I saw a police officer wrestling with his rifle for a good two or three minutes just by a porter potty,” says Morgan.
“It was really hard to pick up on the film initially but eventually he turned around and wandered back to a car and that’s when I got the final footage of it.”
It has organisers questioning, why? SOUL leader Pania Newton says, "We don't know why they are armed. As you can see this is a peaceful and positive resistance so we are concerned."
In March, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a ban on all military-style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles following the Christchurch mosque attacks that killed 51 people.
"From the images, we can see the guns are quite large. We are concerned because we have supporters from our Muslim and Asian communities here too," says Newton.
The images have received a considerable reaction, with over 10,000 views on Facebook. Some social media users are saying police are doing their jobs. Others are condemning police officers carrying rifles with children on site.
Skye Stirling commented, "Is this for real? This post was yest [sic] while everyone is happily taking our kids along! Peaceful protectors & rifles WTA #DontLetThemInitimidateUsFam"
Cita Tito posted, “Hmmm... I'm thinking they're worried about white supremacists turning up 'cause the people at Ihumātao are all good.”
Newton says, “We want to sit down with police and inform them that their arms must be removed from the land.”
In a statement to Te Ao, police say, “There are a couple of police cars behind the cordons at Ihumātao. Yesterday, police officers removed firearms from the vehicles. Officers have armed capability in case of an emergency but are not carrying firearms.”
Newton says protectors will continue the occupation in peace.
Reporting by Kereama Wright and Moana Makapelu Lee.