Activist Protest – “Police Arresting and Using Violence Against Aerospace Blockaders at Te Pae Convention Centre” – Peace Action Ōtautahi

They added that the situation quickly escalated: “I was then thrown backwards by a cop over a barrier between the convention centre into a garden where I saw another person lying face down while a cop had one of their arms pinned behind them and kneeling on them. Another peaceful activist was grabbed by their keffiyeh which was wrapped around their neck, and was slammed into the ground by an officer.” 

A police drone has also been deployed to monitor the protest from above.

Peace Action Ōtautahi spokesperson Joseph Bray stated: “This violent response from the police mirrors the very violence inherent in the aerospace industry itself. The aerospace industry is an industry built on militarisation, harm, and destruction.” 

Another member of Peace Action Ōtautahi, Maya Gray, stated: “The same companies represented at this conference profit from the manufacture of weapons and surveillance technologies used in military operations around the world including in Palestine, where these tools of war are contributing to the ongoing genocide.”

Despite the arrests, morale among the activists remains high. 100+ activists continue to chant and sing, maintaining a peaceful presence. This action continues to draw attention to the growing militarisation of Aotearoa New Zealand’s aerospace industry.

Who: 100+ activists are blockading. Organised by Peace Action Ōtautahi

When: Now

Where: Te Pae Convention Centre, ChCh.