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New Zealand's Ardern turned away from cafe under virus rules

  (Agence France-Presse)
Wellington, New Zealand
Sun, May 17, 2020

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New Zealand's Ardern turned away from cafe under virus rules In this file photo taken on June 24, 2018 New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford pose with their baby daugther Neve Te Aroha Ardern Gayford outside the hospital in Auckland. (AFP/Michael Bradley)

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n New Zealand, no one is exempt from the strict coronavirus prevention measures -- not even Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was denied entry to a cafe because of her own social distancing rules.

Ardern, her fiance Clarke Gayford and a group of friends were turned away from a cafe in Wellington on Saturday because it had already reached its customer limit. 

"I have to take responsibility for this, I didn't get organized and book anywhere," Gayford tweeted in response to another diner, who had spotted the couple being turned away.

Read also: Why women make better crisis leaders

As New Zealand eases out of its coronavirus lockdown, cafes were allowed to reopen on Thursday, but must maintain social distancing between tables and customers must remain seated. 

A diner who saw Ardern refused entry told Stuff media that a cafe employee "had to awkwardly say it was full and there were no tables, and they left."

Fortunately for Ardern's party, other diners left soon after, and staff from the cafe were able to run down the street to invite the prime minister back. 

"Was very nice of them to chase us down the street when a spot freed up. A+ service," Gayford tweeted.

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