Protester arrested after alleged assault outside MP’s office in Oamaru
In New Zealand, a woman has been arrested following an alleged assault during a pro-Palestine protest outside the Oamaru electorate office of Waitaki MP Miles Anderson on Thursday morning.
Police confirmed that they were called to the scene on Thames Street around 10:15 a.m., where a 39-year-old woman allegedly assaulted an office worker. The suspect was taken into custody shortly after the incident.
“Thankfully the victim was not injured, however is understandably shaken by the incident,” police said in a statement.
The protest was organised by Aotearoa for Sanctions, a group advocating for MPs to support the Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill. The group’s stated aim is to compel the New Zealand Government to “cut all ties with Israel,” claiming that “only six government MPs with a conscience” are needed for the bill to pass.
Thursday’s protest in Oamaru was one of nine coordinated demonstrations nationwide, part of an escalating campaign targeting MPs perceived as unsympathetic to the anti-Israel cause.
The woman charged with common assault is scheduled to appear in the Oamaru District Court on November 19.
The incident marks a concerning development in New Zealand’s pro-Palestinian activism, which has seen a rise in confrontational tactics since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent military response in Gaza.
While most demonstrations have been peaceful, Jewish community leaders and political observers have expressed growing concern about the aggressive tone and intimidatory nature of some protests.
A spokesperson for the Israel Institute of New Zealand (IINZ) said the Oamaru arrest “reflects a troubling slide from political advocacy into harassment and violence.”
“Calls for sanctions against Israel are increasingly being accompanied by acts of aggression against New Zealanders who have nothing to do with the conflict itself. This is no longer about foreign policy — it’s about public safety and social cohesion,” the spokesperson said.
The Unlawful Occupation of Palestine Sanctions Bill — drafted by activist networks following the failure of the Israel Sanctions Bill earlier this year — has been widely criticised as one-sided and inconsistent with New Zealand’s commitment to democratic allies and international law.
As the accused awaits court proceedings, police have urged protesters nationwide to exercise their rights peacefully and within the law.
