The “River of Freedom” filmmaking team is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of Heart of the Protest, a powerful non-fiction book which captures the untold stories of the 2022 convoy and Parliament occupation.
This independent publication brings together raw, first-hand testimonies from participants who stood for civil liberties during one of the most defining moments in modern New Zealand history.
Since opening for pre-order on 3 December, the book has enjoyed robust early sales – an exceptional start for an indie non-fiction title – clearly demonstrating its strong potential to connect deeply with New Zealanders seeking authentic, unfiltered reflection on the Covid era.
Scheduled for release in February and March 2026 to coincide with the protests’ anniversaries, Heart of the Protest combines compelling narrative with vivid photography and is shaping up as an essential read for anyone wanting to understand the human stories behind the headlines.
“This early response has been overwhelming and humbling,” says Gaylene Barnes, co-writer and publisher at Braided Films, the team behind the #1 independent documentary River of Freedom (2023).
“It shows that people are hungry for the truth as lived by those who were there. We hope this book will not only honour their courage, but spark much-needed, honest conversations for years to come.”
Industry observers agree that such a strong pre-order performance for an independent title highlights the book’s rare ability to cut through in today’s competitive non-fiction market.
For more information or to pre-order Heart of the Protest, visit www.riveroffreedom.nz
UK Column News — 10th December 2025
https://www.ukcolumn.org/video/uk-column-news-10th-december-2025
Do not introduce Digital ID cards
Yes plenty of protesting going on
But is anybody listening?
Is there anybody out there
Hey You!
When all are implicated and complicit this is least likely to happen
The duck shoving finger pointing and manipulations all ensue as all maneuver for positions
Especially pertaining to the covid dereliction of duty graphically illustrated by duly represented officials being asleep at the wheel and in “just following orders”
Then come the lies as a crutch to prop up this gross miscarriage of justice perpetrated upon a non suspecting public
By the very people who were elected on the premise of protecting and acting in the best interests of those who having duly elected them
Do no harm
Conversations yes
Justice no☝
The truth is these people can not and can never deliver
The Beehive a Masonic symbol of oppression and control is no light on the side of a hill
But there is light at the end of the tunnel
NZ First was good with Tanya Unkovich she was listening and making headway with the likes of Malcom Roberts but she has left i presume disillusioned.
Seems now no politician has the balls to tackle this huge issue shame on them.
Rodney Hide’s speech at the protest should be famous.
The vibe was amazing. It should have been a game changer in the whole issue but people were too stupid to see this: if Covid was as scary as it was made out to be, thousands of people defying the draconian regulations and conducting a de facto hippy music festival should have been decimated by Covid. In fact hysterical people said they would be and that it would serve them right. But they refused to face the reality that they were wrong and had been suckered, when it didn’t happen.
The shameless lying media claimed protesters were being hospitalized ‘with Covid” but the truth was they went to hospital with an injury, and “tested positive” without being at all really ill.