Election events told to beef up security as threats against politicians rise

Increased threats and incidents of harassment against politicians have forced changes to election campaign events, with organisers told to call in extra security and police standing up a lead officer to monitor risks.

It follows a string of recent incidents at public events as the campaign ramps up, including police having to intervene to protect Ayesha Verrall at a Wellington debate, and a man being asked to leave a public meeting with Chris Hipkins this week.

Police have stood up Superintendent Kelly Ryan in a role as national commander for General Elections 2026 to oversee the police’s operations throughout the campaign period.

Ryan said in a statement that police’s role over the election period is to “maintain law and order and the safety of all involved whilst ensuring the right to freedom of expression and supporting the democratic process.

“As part of this work, police are monitoring the campaigning of candidates and have implemented a systems approach to assist with considerations of any need for a policing presence or actions required on a case-by-case basis.

“All reports of threats will be taken seriously and followed up with police action if required.”

Police had to remove protesters from a recent National Party public meeting at Christchurch's Addington Racecourse. Photo / Anna Heath

Grey Power North Shore and Hibiscus Coast president Trish Deans has organised a candidates meeting for seniors tomorrow, with a line-up of ministers and party leaders.

Deans told the Herald she was contacted by officials this week ahead of the event recommending she deploy further security measures.

“They didn’t really expand upon it, they just thought it was a wise thing to do,” Deans said.

“I certainly have taken their advice on because although we would normally expect our community of seniors to have been invited to listen and respect, we just don’t know, and we have to provide for the safety of the actual candidates. We feel quite serious about that.”

Deans said her organisation has hired three security guards, at a cost of $1500.

Grey Power North Shore and Hibiscus Coast president Trish Deans said officials from Parliamentary Security advised her to implement extra security for an upcoming candidates meeting. Photo / Jason Oxenham

She said it was “worrying” that extra protection was now required for such events, saying she has never had problems in the past with attendees becoming aggressive.

“It’s making me think twice,” she said.

Police were called in to assist at a Wellington debate on Tuesday, where candidates were forced to form a human barrier to protect Labour MP Ayesha Verrall being accosted by frenzied anti-vaccine activists in attendance.

Video posted to social media shows Verrall being confronted by agitators, including Jeremy Verity and John Ansell, who are also involved in Wellington’s Stop Tiaki Wai group.

“That woman mass-murdered people,” Ansell shouted toward the former Health Minister at the meeting.

“They murdered our people in tens of thousands and you are defending them,” he said to police as officers blocked them from the candidates.

Police were called and Labour's Ayesha Verrall had to be escorted from a public meeting after she was confronted by anti-vaccine lobbyists.

Verrall said in a statement it was “planned intimidation” and an “orchestrated attempt by Outdoor and Freedom supporters to drown out dozens of other Wellingtonians who came along to hear from candidates and have their say.

“These people crowded around me as I attempted to leave, blocking my exit - that is not normal behaviour, and, at a time of increasing threats to politicians, this needs to stop.

“I’m not going to be shouted down, and I’m not going to stop fronting up, in Wadestown or anywhere else in Wellington North. That’s the job.”

An attendee at Chris Hipkins’ first public meeting in the Hutt Valley last night was also asked to leave by security, after questioning the Labour leader about deaths related to the former minister’s Covid policies.

The party’s late start to hold public meetings has been in part credited to the timing of when the Opposition leader is provided security assistance from the Dignitary Protection Service (DPS).

Police provide security at Labour leader Chris Hipkins' public meeting. Photo / Thomas Coughlan

Last month, Hipkins said a member of the public threatened to kill him and throw him into Wellington Harbour while he was walking to a radio interview in the capital.

He today said he wouldn’t let “small groups of people” derail Labour’s campaign efforts.

Threats towards politicians have risen since the pandemic, prompting Parliament to roll out new security measures.

Researchers from the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre told Parliament in May of the increased threats to MPs and their staff, describing it as a “concerning” and “wicked” problem.

Ethan Manera is a Wellington-based journalist covering Wellington issues, local politics and business in the capital. He can be emailed at ethan.manera@nzme.co.nz.