Protestors are promising a grand return to Parliament on Friday - but this time Parliament is prepared.
Fences were erected around the precinct on Thursday and extra police officers have already been called in from outside of Wellington. An early arrival to the protest was arrested when he arrived on Thursday.
It was police versus protesters at Parliament again on Thursday as Brett Power - the man who tried to perform a citizen's arrest on Health Minister Andrew Little - was properly arrested himself for breaching bail.
A man filming shouted "shame" at Power as he was taken away by police outside the Beehive. One month on from Parliamentary pandemonium, the cleanup continues. House Speaker Trevor Mallard gave instructions on Thursday to weed out Illicit greenery left behind by the protestors in Parliament's rose garden.
Things were starting to feel a little more normal until the fences began rolling in on Thursday, erected in advance of more planned protest action on Friday.
"The police of course will be no doubt looking at what needs to be done in advance to ensure we don't have a repeat of what we saw with the disruption to Wellingtonians," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday.
A group called UNITE, which formed out of the occupation, is planning to protest for 14 days. The police have recommended parliamentary staff work from home on Friday until they get the all-clear to come back.
"Obviously Parliamentary Service has put out some direction," said Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson. "We'll wait and see how many protesters arrive."
Wellingtonians are still weary from the last lot.
"I'm not wanting that at all," one woman told Newshub.
"We work just up the road so hopefully it doesn't impact our building too much," another said.
Some businesses were heavily impacted. JJ's beauty salon Beyond Skin is still suffering.
"I just can't comprehend the fact that this may happen. And if it is, it's devastating."
The last crowd called themselves anti-mandate, so given most COVID-19 vaccine mandates are gone by Monday - the point of the protest is somewhat unclear.
"I'm not entirely clear on what their motivation is," Ardern said.
National Party deputy leader Nicola Willis is confused too.
"I'm not quite sure what they think they're going to gain from coming again."
Here's hoping it's not like the protest of Parliament past.
