Outgoing Whangārei MP Emily Henderson reveals violent threats made against her during time in office

Whangārei MP Emily Henderson says she has been subjected to numerous threats involving “big mobs or individuals” with extremist views. Photo / Tania Whyte

A Northland MP has described being targeted by “extremist” mobs as a politics expert warns the upcoming general election will be “a different campaign” because of similar violent threats made against politicians.

As her three-year term as Whangārei MP comes to a close, Labour’s Emily Henderson said she had been subjected to numerous incidents involving “big mobs or individuals” with extremist views fuelled by a hatred of Covid-19 restrictions.

The last time it happened, at the end of last year, she was “pinned against a table” at the Waipū market during one of her regular constituency clinics, Henderson said.

“There’s been a few times where I’ve ended up pinned against a table or stall, on one occasion 12 of them [anti-vaxxers] were shouting with cameras or their phones in my face.

“That’s pretty intense.

“That’s frustrating and annoying and, if you’re less hard-boiled than me, it can be a bit intimidating.”

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been an escalation in threats and abuse towards MPs, with Finance Minister Grant Robertson saying last year “the threats are greater – they are more often, more intense”.

In February 2022, Henderson’s family came under fire from anti-vaxxers who accused her of war crimes and treason and threatened to throw bricks through windows at her house.

In response, Henderson got a relative to pick up her daughter, who was at the house, and reported the matter to police.

“That was the only time I’ve ever been anxious, because my 14-year-old daughter was home at the time,” she said.

“I’ve had incidents, like most MPs, where I’ve had to close my office ... because we had packs of protesters outside banging on our windows and it was frightening for our teams.

“There’s been licence given to angry, extreme people to say and do things that were not previously seen as acceptable.

“You used to be able to have conversations with people you disagreed with politically.

“That’s become really hard, more and more it’s turned into slanging matches and people are going off in their corners.”

Henderson said the campaign leading up to the October 14 election would be “potentially dangerous” for some candidates.

“As a former Family Court lawyer, I haven’t found it too bad, I’m used to people shouting at me.”

Henderson, a former Crown prosecutor who was elected to represent Whangārei in October 2020, said the incidents didn’t “at all” influence her decision not to stand again.

She announced her retirement from politics in March, saying she was returning to her work in court reform.

Massey University politics professor Richard Shaw says threats against politicians have been “increasing in frequency” since 2020.

Her comments are backed up by Massey University politics professor Richard Shaw.

He said threats against politicians had been “increasing in frequency” since 2020 and in particular the three-week occupation of Parliament in 2022, which saw thousands turn out to protest against Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

There was a “small but growing minority of people in New Zealand who hold extreme views”, he said, and this, combined with the nature of social media, was a “terrible mix”.

“Death threats, and violent threats against candidates and their families, have definitely been on the uptick since Covid.

“We have extremists who believe there are no constraints on individual rights, that they can say whatever they want.

“There are more people who’ve been radicalised and people who, during lockdown, disappeared down rabbit holes of disinformation and never returned.”

Shaw said there may well be more security during this election campaign, and candidates “less willing to put themselves in the line of fire” by fronting public meetings and events.

“Compared to the campaign in 2020, this one is quite a different campaign because of those threats.

“It probably will be less face-to-face contact than it might otherwise have been.”

Shaw referenced former prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who announced her resignation in January and stood down the following month.

Threats against politicians have been increasing in frequency since the three-week occupation of Parliament in 2022 which saw thousands turn out to protest against the Government’s Covid-19 vaccine mandates. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Her 5½-year tenure was marked by growing abuse and personal attacks, which some say contributed to her burnout.

Shaw said Ardern was “routinely subjected to online and physical violence in her neighbourhood electorate”.

In 2022, a woman carrying a sword allegedly damaged Ardern’s office in Morningside and the same year her vehicle was targeted by hostile protesters in Paihia.

Northern Districts Security director John Pierre Dignon, whose company has provided security for politicians and other dignitaries, said this election would be “totally different to previous elections we’ve had”.

“I feel people have to approach it differently and be cautious as to what’s going on.

“Everyone can feel the tension is heightened this time around. Crime is more violent, it’s not as petty as it used to be.

“We’ve always dealt with youth, and we’d find a youth doing a theft in a store, now they’ll rob it with a knife.

“Everything is more violent.”

Former prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s electorate office was attacked last year. Photo / Dean Purcell

Dignon said dignitaries in other countries were usually accompanied by “an entourage of security and police”.

“New Zealand has always been relaxed about that. How things are going at the moment, it’s risky to be like that.”

Henderson said that, despite politics becoming more “polarised”, she had hope that it would improve.

“What gives me hope is that, when I’m out and about, the number one thing people want to talk to me about is how do we heal the divisions.

“Yes, a small minority of extremists who are already pretty on edge, it’s given them a licence to be difficult, if not dangerous.

“But at the same time, they are still only a tiny proportion of the people I meet.

“We can’t allow the extreme and unbalanced to take over the political space in our community.

“We can’t let extremists win, we can’t be frightened away from it. That’s not democracy.

“Democracy only works when people are empowered to participate.”

Do you have questions for the candidates? Email elections@northernadvocate.co.nz

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in roading, health, business and animal welfare issues.