Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blamed the Green Party for emboldening protesters, one of whom smashed a window at his Auckland home. At the same time, the Greens say the real focus should remain on the government’s decisions over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Police confirmed a 29-year-old man was arrested after the late-night incident. Peters told reporters the man left a note before breaking his window with a crowbar.
Peters wasn’t home, and said his partner and a guest were at home at the time, and glass shattered on his dog.
“He climbed over the balustrade, put a notice on the door and then put a crowbar through the window.”
The notice read: “Welcome to the real world.”
One NZ actor dropped after protest link
The row intensified after revelations actor and activist Acacia O’Connor, a spokesperson for Global Movement to Gaza, had livestreamed a protest outside Peters’ home last week and revealed the name of his street. She had also appeared at a Green Party media conference on Monday alongside Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson.
O’Connor was quickly removed from One NZ’s advertising campaign after her involvement came under scrutiny. In a statement, the company said:
“We don’t back any behaviour that puts people’s safety at risk. What’s happened doesn’t line up with our values, so we’re taking the character out of our marketing.”
Peters said One NZ had done the right thing, describing the sharing of his address as “tragic.”
National’s Nicola Willis also backed the move, saying:
“They’ve made their own choice. Clearly, they condemn the behaviour of that individual, and I think most New Zealanders would. That individual conducted herself in a way that I think lacked basic humanity. It is completely inappropriate to give people’s private addresses out on social media and to protest outside people’s homes in the way that she did.”
Greens push back
Green MP Chlöe Swarbrick said her party condemns all violence and doxxing, but questioned the way government ministers were framing protesters.
“We have New Zealanders who are currently exercising their legal right to protest, who are being bullied by some of the most powerful people in the country, and that is resulting in them, I guess, losing their income.”
She insisted O’Connor had no formal role in Monday’s press conference and said it had been “largely arranged by the community itself.”
Swarbrick added:
“Sure, but let’s also be honest about the fact that this was something that was organised by a community who is in an immense amount of heartbreak because their family members have been illegally kidnapped by Israel.”
She further accused ministers of “political tit-for-tat” and urged focus on policy.
“New Zealanders have been organising and mobilising and turning up to rallies in the tens of thousands just in this past month to try and showcase the demands on the government to act, to stop this genocide, to sanction Israel. New Zealanders have also mobilised to put in submissions after submissions against legislation, frequently, massively, overwhelmingly opposing the legislation that the government’s putting forward.
“What does the government decide to do? Go ahead with it anyway. Where are New Zealanders supposed to put that frustration when the government doesn’t listen?”
Labour leader Chris Hipkins also weighed in, warning against inflammatory language after Willis told media to “call the dogs off” in reference to protests.
“Now is the time to dial back the rhetoric,” Hipkins said.
Willis later defended her remark.
“How precious do we have to be? … That is a phrase that actually has its origins in Shakespeare.”
‘A distraction and deflection from issues at hand’
Swarbrick said it was “a long bow” to suggest the Greens were culpable for the attack and protests at Peters’ home.
Peters has also faced criticism over his public attacks on other MPs. Last month, departing Green MP Benjamin Doyle revealed to Te Ao Māori News that they endured a “tsunami of hate”, including break-ins, death threats, and police charges, after Peters amplified old social media posts that became the flashpoint for an online campaign against them.
Swarbrick argued Peters should face the same scrutiny over his rhetoric.
“It is on the public record that Winston Peters has been asked about his rhetoric with regard to Benjamin Doyle and with regard to Hana, whether the attacks on them and on their homes had anything to do with him, and he denied any culpability or responsibility.”
Peters, however, rejected any suggestion of culpability.
“He was threatened before I said a darn thing. Go look at the chronology, try get a bit of research behind your questions.”
When challenged that the break-ins happened after he spoke online about Doyle, Peters walked away from reporters, responding:
“Oh, if you wanna excuse that – fine.”
Speech in the House
In Parliament this afternoon, Peters delivered a ministerial statement on the Middle East, reiterating the government’s stance.
He condemned Hamas’ October 2023 attacks, criticised Israel’s “overwhelming” military response, and called for a ceasefire, the return of hostages, and unimpeded aid.
But he also turned fire on those who, he said, were colluding with protesters targeting politicians’ homes.
“The violent targeting of politicians’ private homes by some protesters is a disgrace. It has caused distress to our families and disturbed the peace of our neighbours. Means such as these corrupt the protesters’ ends, such as they are. And we must call out those members of this House who collude and collaborate with the very protestors targeting politicians’ homes. Do you have no shame?”
Peters went further, accusing MPs of hysteria over Gaza at the expense of New Zealand’s wider foreign policy priorities.
“Those extremists, including those in this House, are entitled to go off the deep end… But for the New Zealand Government, it is time to refocus on our foreign policy priorities closer to home in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific.”
The Greens, however, reject any suggestion they are responsible for protesters’ actions and say Peters’ statement ignores New Zealanders’ calls for stronger action on Gaza.
*Benjamin Doyle uses the pronouns They/Them.
