Protesters barricade Fonterra HQ

Photo / Greenpeace

Greenpeace this morning barricaded the Auckland corporate headquarters of Fonterra, protesting the use of palm kernels as stock feed.

Around 20 demonstrators erected a 1.8m by 2.4m long barricade fixed with television screens inside the foyer of the Princes St offices.

Inspector Lou Alofa of the police northern communications centre said the building was evacuated after a suspicious package was left by an elevator at the building. Staff soon were able to return to their offices.

"We have dealt with the package and can confirm it was not an improvised explosive device," Mr Alofa told NZPA.

"We discovered it was actually two speakers."Mr Alofa said police were speaking to two protesters but no charges had been laid.

Greenpeace spokesperson Simon Boxer said the protest had only barricaded one entrance and staff were able to pass through five other entrances to the building unhindered.

"10 people peacefully handed out leaflets explaining what we were doing."

Mr Boxer said the television screens were broadcasting footage from a Greenpeace trip last week to Indonesia, looking at the deforestation of native forests.

Greenpeace claim Fonterra import one quarter of the world's palm kernel, and native forest in Indonesia is being cleared at a rate of two per cent per year in order for the crop to be grown.

"We hope the message has gone in there and Fonterra take corporate responsibility for the deforestation that is happening in Indonesia at this very minute."

A Fonterra spokesperson said the company did not want to comment on this morning's protest.