‘Peaceful’ protest turns ugly

A protest against the defence forum in Palmerston North has turned ugly and delayed delegates getting to the venue, with barricades dismantled, insults and smoke bombs hurled.

Defence Industry Association chairman Andrew Ford said people attending had found the protest confrontational, and vehicles bringing them to the Central Energy Trust Arena were kept waiting as police and security worked to keep them safe.

Mayor Grant Smith and kaumatua Wiremu Te Awe Awe were among those prevented from attending the opening because of the delays.

Ford said he was immensely frustrated that Peace Action Manawatu¯ ’s promise of a peaceful protest was not delivered.

The peace march was dominated by church groups, but protesters from Wellington and Auckland swelled their numbers to about 200.

‘‘I hope they realise how naive it was to say it would be peaceful. That might have been their intention, but there are other groups who simply do what they always do. They are abusive, violent and confrontational.’’

Ford said the forum was not the weapons expo that protesters claimed it to be.

There were not weapons on display, there was no trading, just talk, networking and building relationships about national security.

About 200 protesters marched from The Square to the Arena, with a police escort in front and at the rear.