Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson says the legacy of Covid-19 won't be the protest at Parliament, but rather "the vast bulk of people" who "got together and supported one another to get through" the pandemic.
"The vast bulk of people have got together and supported one another to get through Covid and I reckon that’s the legacy of Covid," he told Breakfast near the protest site.
"Not this," he remarked, pointing to the remnants of the occupation.
Robertson, the MP for Wellington Central said there was not a massive division in society, stating: "So, yes, we've got some people who have splintered off, we're going to have to work hard with them, but most New Zealanders have got on board. It doesn't mean they support the Government or anything like that, but they've got on board with looking after each other and I reckon today we need to remember that."
The anti-mandate occupation at Parliament came to a dramatic end after 23 days on Wednesday.
Police advanced on protesters occupying Parliament's grounds, ripping away tents and structures.
Officers were showered with paint, petrol and water as they did so. Fire extinguishers were also used on officers. Bricks, paving stones, rocks, traffic cones, poles and wood from pallets were among items thrown at police.
Tents were lit on fire by protesters, with gas canisters creating loud explosions.
By the end, 87 people had been arrested and seven officers hospitalised.
Robertson said the three week protest had meant an "incredibly distressing time for Wellingtonians".
There were ugly scenes on the streets outside Parliament, with people throwing bricks at police.
"Not only have they been harassed, spat at and bullied, but they've also seen the city that they love trashed, and especially this area here. This is where Wellingtonians come and have their lunch and kids come out and play. It's just been so, so sad."
He said "we can never excuse what happened yesterday", describing the violence directed at police by some as "appalling".
"To those people I say there is no place for your behaviour in New Zealand and I think many of them will find themselves in front of courts as a result of what they did and frankly that is what they deserve."
Robertson said there was work for the country to do to try and help those "swept and carried along in these movements".
"Really hard conversations" needed to be had with the "people who were out there who have fears, irrational fears sometimes stoked in them, who one day may wake up and realise they were misled and that the misinformation they heard wasn't real", Robertson said.
"To those who got swept along who maybe walked away a couple of days beforehand, I say stop again, talk to your friends and family, realise that actually we are all in this together. We're not going to get everybody back, we're not going to get everybody who came here with the intent to cause that trouble, but there are people in our families we can talk to."
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