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A Dunedin podcast host says he was arrested after being thrown out of a candidate meeting for challenging Act New Zealand’s Paul Henry.
Big Hairy Network co-host Mike “Chewie” Bennett said he was ejected from Mr Henry’s event at Dunedin’s Glenroy Auditorium on Thursday night.
During a network livestream later that night, Mr Bennett said the incident was an “utter waste” of police time and flew in the face of Act’s stance on free speech.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Henry said he was a great believer in free speech, but Mr Bennett had reacted poorly when he was not satisfied with an answer.
“Instead of acting like an adult, he started shouting and interrupting, trying to ruin the evening for everyone else who braved a cold Dunedin night and aggressive protesters to come along and take part in democracy.”
Mr Bennett disputed this in turn, saying he was “projecting” from the back of the room.
“It’s really chilling for democracy . . . if that’s how he’s going to interact with the public through a shield of private security, then I think that’s really troubling.”
About 20 to 30 protesters arrived about half an hour before the event and numbers grew to about 60 people as the event began. Some people were screened at the door by security before they could get inside.
There were chants of “Paul Henry is not welcome here”, jeers of “shame” at attendees and general disapproval of what the protesters saw as Act’s “divisive” rhetoric.
Mr Bennett said he asked Mr Henry “respectful” questions about the candidate’s assertion New Zealand “used to be better” during the meeting’s Q&A section.
He said Mr Henry recounted an anecdote about a Palmerston North engineer who worked six days a week, but made less than his neighbour — a single male beneficiary with a child.
“At that point, I went, ‘I’m sorry, there’s no way that that is true’,” Mr Bennett said.
“I had just barely said that and two members of the private security that were there grabbed me by the arm and shoulder, spun me around and started frog-marching me out of the venue.”
An Otago Daily Times reporter at the event said a few people who interjected during the Q&A section were taken away by security.
Mr Bennett said a police officer outside the venue asked him for his details and he was told it was for the purpose of a trespass notice which would be in effect until about 9pm — after the meeting was scheduled to finish.
When he refused, he was “put in an arm bar by two police” and driven to the Dunedin Central Police Station.
He played a video of police officers marching him to a police car as protesters chanted “let him go”.
“At that point, it was all getting a bit f…… silly and I said, ‘I will give you my details, this is an utter waste of your time’.” He was released soon after.
“For all [Act’s] big talk about open discussion and that sort of thing, it’s not true.”
However, Mr Henry said he was “great believer” in free speech.
“People are perfectly entitled to come along, ask me difficult questions and disagree with my answers. They can even think I’m an idiot. That’s democracy.
“It was entirely appropriate to remove him from the event, the security and police did a great job and I’m very grateful to them.”
Southern District Commander Superintendent Jason Guthrie said the visible police presence was planned to “safe conduct”.
He confirmed a person, removed from the event by security, was subsequently arrested for “failing to provide particulars”.
A formal warning was being considered.