Jacinda Ardern interviewed for investigation into police conduct during Parliament protest

Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern was spoken to for an investigation into police conduct during last year’s Parliament occupation.

Over the past year the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has been conducting an investigation into Police and their response to the 23-day occupation, from February 7 to March 2, 2022.

Authority chair Judge Colin Doherty said in a statement that during the course of the inquiry more than 350 people had been interviewed.

That included protesters, police, and other key parties, including former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, former speaker of the house Trevor Mallard, and former Mayor of Wellington Andy Foster.

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With nearly 2000 complaints about Police conduct during the occupation, the IPCA report was said to scrutinise Polic’s planning and preparation of the event.

During the occupation, alleged altercations included a woman being dragged by her hair by police officers, and a man being punched and eye-gouged.

Judge Doherty said the inquiry was almost finished. As well as the interviews, over 13 days worth of video footage had been analysed and reviewed.

The authority had planned to deliver the report by the end of March, but given the amount of information to work through, more time was needed, Judge Doherty said.

The full report would be published later in April.

The report reviewed police staff selection, training, operational guidance, equipment, and technology provided to officers who policed the protest, as well as how the organisation kept the peace, maintained public safety, enforced the law, and provided community support and reassurance.

“It also includes how police balanced the rights of protesters with the rights of other people throughout the course of the protest,” the IPCA said in a statement last year.

The event ended with police effectively reclaiming Molesworth St from the protesters, using firefighter hoses and riot gear to push them back off the street.

Previously, Ardern in her role as prime minister had blocked the National Party’s attempt to bring the IPCA before the justice select committee. That was due to concerns that the Labour Government was attempting to cover up any involvement ministers may have had in the three-week-long occupation.