Thousands of people gathered today in streets of capital Wellington to protest against New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardene's COVID-19 vaccine mandates and continued lockdowns aimed at controlling the spread of pandemic, Reuters reported.

Angry protestors demanded that the government roll back compulsory vaccination and lift restrictions.

The access to country's parliament buildings were partially shut as mostly unmasked protesters marched through central Wellington and congregated outside parliament.

Protestors were spotted holding signs and placards with messages like "Freedom" and "Kiwis are not lab rats" and shouting slogans.

A number of protesters waved large Trump flags, signs saying “we will drain the swamp”.

The mass protests witnessed attacks on both police and reporters. A police officer was also bitten by a protester

Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city and economic hub, has been under lockdown for several month as it struggle to contain a surge of Delta variant of coronavirus even as country attempts to accelerate its vaccination drive.

Touted for long as a model for combating Covid-19, New Zealand as since shifted from its zero-Covid strategy of elimination through lockdowns to living with the virus with higher vaccinations.

Ardene has mandated that 90% of the eligible population will have to be double jabbed (80% of country's population is currently double jabbed) before lockdown will be lifted.