Anti-1080 demonstration's birds apparently beaten to death

A ban-1080 protest on Wednesday has taken a dark turn after Parliament's Speaker Trevor Mallard  native bird carcasses delivered to Parliament's steps by school children appeared to have been bludgeoned to death. Mr Mallard called a media conference yesterday to announce he had laid a complaint with police and the Department of Conservation in light of what had happened to the protected kereru. Five native birds were dumped on the steps, including Kereru and Weka, with protesters claming they were killed as a result of Government-led 1080 poison drops.