Clashes and arrests as New Zealand police clear Covid protest.

Police and anti-vaccine protesters clashed on Thursday inside New Zealand's parliament. More than 50 people were arrested after protesters who had been camped outside parliament for three days were ordered to leave.

The activists chanted the Maori haka and shouted: "hold the line" as they clashed with a line of police moving to clear a makeshift camp from the parliamentary lawns.

Officers were punched and kicked amid shouts of "this is not democracy", "shame on you" and "drop the mandate".

New Zealand requires people working in sectors such as health, law enforcement, education and defence to be compulsorily vaccinated against the Covid virus, and those who refuse the vaccine must be dismissed.

Proof of vaccination must also be shown to enter restaurants, sporting events and religious services.