Two men - including the former leader of the Public Party - have appeared in the Auckland District Court charged with breaching alert-level 4 lockdown restrictions on public gatherings yesterday.
Billy Te Kahika has pleaded not guilty via videolink and has been granted bail. Photo: RNZ / Simon Rogers
Billy Te Kahika and co-accused Vinny Eastwood were two of four people arrested as about 50 protesters stood outside the TVNZ offices in Auckland CBD yesterday.
They were arrested 45 minutes into the protest as police moved in to deal with the gathering.
They appeared by videolink before Judge Peter Winter today.
Te Kahika and Eastwood each face two charges under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act and one charge under the Search and Surveillance Act.
The protest yesterday. Photo: RNZ / Katie Doyle
Te Kahika pleaded not guilty and was bailed to appear back in the court in October.
Eastwood, 37, was remanded without plea and bailed to appear next month.
The lunchtime protest outside the Television New Zealand headquarters in Auckland could have sparked a "super-spreader" event, the court was told.
Judge Winter granted bail for both defendants and said there were about 100 people at the protest, many of whom were not wearing masks or socially distancing.
He said the allegations were serious.
The maximum penalty if convicted is six months' jail or a $4000 fine.
Watch raw footage from the event here: