Woman arrested in relation to vandalised Auckland electorate offices

Red paint was splashed on David Seymour's Epsom electorate office overnight on November 23.

A young woman has been arrested and charged in relation to vandalism at several Auckland electorate offices over the past few months.

Police said the 27-year-old has been charged with six counts of intentional damage and will appear in the Manukau District Court next Wednesday, February 21.

The incidents occurred between last November and last month.

Several offices belonging to National Party and Act Party MPs - including those of Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Act leader David Seymour - had red paint splashed across them or billboards outside their buildings.

Red paint was splashed on the Northcote electorate office of National MP Dan Bidois in November.

A pro-Palestine group dubbed Tāmaki for Palestine later came out to claim responsibility for the vandalism, saying the politicians were “complicit in the deaths of thousands in Gaza” and that the red paint represented the blood on their hands.

The group demanded that the Government called for a ceasefire in Gaza, in the ongoing war Israel-Hamas war.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Bartlett said: “Police recognise and respect the right to freedom of expression and the right to protest. However, our role is also to uphold the law.”

Authorities will continue to investigate and act upon instances where criminal offending is identified, he said.

Further arrests and charges cannot be ruled out either, police said, as investigations into the incidents continue.