KEY POINTS:
A man who swung a megaphone at a protester in a scuffle outside the Labour Party conference says it never hit the target.
Len Richards apologised to Jared Phillips after the flare-up.
But yesterday he said he had studied video footage of the incident and did not believe
he made contact with Mr Phillips.
"It looks bad, but I've watched it frame-by-frame and there's clearly no impact," said Mr Richards, who was attempting to address protesters when the incident happened.
"It's very damaging to me if it's accepted as a fact that I hit him. It prejudices my right to a fair hearing and my employment prospects," said Mr Richards, a qualified secondary school teacher.
"I'm not proud of it, but I did not connect. If you miss it's not so bad."
The Herald's online video editor studied footage from TVNZ and TV3 yesterday and said it was inconclusive. There was some contact, but it may only have been the strap of the megaphone.
But it was only Mr Phillips' blocking action that averted a direct hit.
Others at the scene, including Bronwen Summers, the wife of high-profile activist John Minto, insisted yesterday that there had been contact. She has said she was hit by the megaphone while standing next to Mr Phillips and has laid a complaint with police.
Mr Phillips himself said the megaphone hit him "on the side of the head and shoulder", leaving him with slight bruising.
He rejected the claim that there was no contact and said Mr Richards was in an "incredibly defensive position and people take different tactics and approaches in that position".
"I moved my face, but it definitely hit me."
Unite organiser Mike Treen, who said he saw the incident, said Mr Phillips "copped it right on the side of the head".
Mr Richards, who was attending the conference as a non-voting member of the Mangere Labour Party, said he went to speak to the 150 protesters to offer his support.
But they refused to listen to him or his wife, Service and Food Workers Union delegate Jill Ovens, who the protesters believe should have boycotted the conference over the police "anti-terror" raids.
Ms Ovens gave up trying to talk in the face of the protesters. Mr Richards said he should have done the same.
"I should have walked off, but they pushed me first and that was a very provocative action. I just swiped out because I wanted to get away."
Police are considering whether to lay charges over the scuffle outside the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna.