'Go home and behave': National leader Judith Collins unleashes on anti-lockdown convoy

National leader Judith Collins has called out members of the anti-lockdown convoy that reached the Auckland border overnight. 

The group was barred from crossing the Auckland border by police after travelling from Rotorua aiming to get to Waitangi, wanting to gather in the name of "freedom".

"My message to those people on the hīkoi is: go home, get vaccinated and just remember that it's not all about you," Collins told The AM Show.

"There's a lot of people who are in lockdown, who are losing their businesses, who are worried about what's happening to them and their families and they don't want you being idiots so just go home and behave."

The protesters have been told by police to stay away and anyone trying to cross checkpoints without an exemption will be turned around.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua, the representative body corporate established to deal with issues affecting Ngāti Whātua iwi, had been asking the group to wait until the Delta outbreak was over

Ngāti Whātua spokesperson Antony Thomson told Newshub it was disappointing they decided to make the journey anyway.

"We will be talking to them and we will be turning them around to come back home - that's one thing that I can guarantee.

"We're making sure we look after Ngāti Whātua and we're making sure we look after Te Tai Tokerau."

Former Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira on Tuesday condemned the timing of the march, saying the movement was a "scam".

Police had indicated there would be an increased presence of officers at the Auckland boundary overnight.