CHAOS AT TE PAE: More Than Two Dozen Arrests as Activists Blockade Christchurch Aerospace Summit Over ‘War Profiteering’ Ties
By Sarah Keneally, Lions Roar News Ōtautahi, Christchurch – October 8, 2025
Police arrested at least 22 protesters this morning after a coordinated blockade effectively shut down the primary entrance to the New Zealand Aerospace Summit being held at the Te Pae Convention Centre in central Christchurch.
The high-stakes action, led by the activist collective Peace Action Ōtautahi, saw more than 100 demonstrators use physical human chains and banners to disrupt the flow of delegates, including scheduled speakers such as Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck, aiming to highlight the industry’s alleged connections to global military and defence operations.
Protestors began the blockade early, with approximately a dozen individuals chaining themselves directly to the convention centre’s main doors, forcing police to physically remove them one by one. Footage from the scene showed officers carrying protestors away as chants of “Shame! Shame! Shame!” echoed across the precinct.
Protesting Military and Climate Links
The activists are demanding an immediate end to New Zealand’s involvement in the global defense sector, arguing that the aerospace industry is heavily implicated in the “militarisation of space” and “war profiteering.”
Peace Action Ōtautahi spokesperson Joseph Bray, who was among those arrested, issued a defiant statement before the action began. “There is no place for war profiteers and genocide enablers in Aotearoa,” Bray stated, directly referencing the group’s concern over industry ties to the US military and the Israeli Defence Force. “This is an insidious industry; we have weapons manufacturers and foreign militaries operating here under the guise of humanitarian progress and innovation.”
Beyond military links, the demonstrators—who included members of groups like Stop the Space Waste—also raised flags regarding environmental integrity, challenging the summit’s “Aerospace for Good” theme as a form of “greenwashing” that downplays the significant carbon footprint of rocket launches and defense technology development.
Police Response and Government Scrutiny
Superintendent Lane Todd confirmed the arrests, stating that the police presence was focused on ensuring public safety and upholding the law while also recognizing the lawful right to protest. The arrests were made after protestors blocked lawful entry to the venue.
The protest drew swift commentary from political figures, with Minister Judith Collins, who was due to attend, reportedly dismissing the protestors as “living in another world.”
The demonstration marks one of the most significant direct actions targeting a corporate summit in Christchurch in recent years, placing the national discussion about New Zealand’s burgeoning space and defense sector—and its ethical implications—at the forefront of public attention.
The arrested individuals face charges related to trespass and obstruction, and the New Zealand Aerospace Summit is proceeding, albeit with heavily delayed schedules and heightened security measures. Lions Roar News understands that the blockade successfully barred numerous high-profile delegates from attending the morning sessions.
