The building has red paint and the words “ceasefire now” sprayed on it, an act done by pro-Palestine protesters. The United States Consulate in Auckland, New Zealand, and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs building were both targeted by the group Paint was also used to write “save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” at the entrance to the buildings, with the group responsible for the action being Tamaki for Palestine. This group claims that the 11,000 Palestinian casualties by Israel is motivating this action and has called for the expulsion of the U.S. ambassador and the consulate, as well as for the New Zealand government to recognize the state of Palestine.
Furthermore, Tamaki for Palestine has requested that New Zealand use its “diplomatic influence” to call for an immediate Israeli ceasefire. The U.S. embassy voiced support for peaceful protest but condemned vandalism. Meanwhile, a statue of Sir Dove-Myer Robinson, a Jewish former mayor of Auckland, was also defaced with a swastika and the words “free Palestine” following a pro-Palestine rally in Auckland. It is important to acknowledge that a spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council stated that this former mayor endured anti-Semitic violence before moving to New Zealand. Also, during a pro-Palestine protest in Auckland, a five-year-old child was allegedly hit over the head with a shovel while leaving the demonstration, leading to three people being arrested by New Zealand police as reported by the New Zealand Herald.