NZ First leader Winston Peters says his partner was this morning injured by leftover glass after a window was smashed at the couple’s Auckland home.
A 29-year-old man is due to appear in court today, charged with burglary, following the alleged smashing of the window with a crowbar earlier in the week.
The incident took place days after a pro-Palestine protest outside the Foreign Minister’s home.
In an interview with Herald NOW today, Peters said his partner, Jan Trotman, had cut herself on some leftover glass from the attack.
“So this is a deplorable, gutless, spineless situation,” Peters said.
Of the attack itself, he said Trotman and her guest were “lucky they just left the room” when the window was smashed.
“I wish I had been here at the time this person pulled this filthy act off.”
Their dog Kobe was showered in glass.
The protest outside Peters’ home led to One NZ dropping actor Acacia O’Connor from its ads.
She was accused of sharing Peters’ private address during a livestream, although on Breakfast yesterday she said the street name she mentioned wasn’t that which Peters’ home was on.
The protest took place after Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of activists heading to Gaza carrying symbolic aid. Aboard were three Kiwis, who were due to return to New Zealand later today after being detained and deported.
Peters’ comments on the attack came as Israeli and Hamas officials continued peace talks, brokered by the United States, to see captives exchanged and Israel withdraw from parts of Gaza.
Speaking to 1News yesterday, Peters welcomed the deal.
“We give credit to these people in different countries, the Middle East and the United States, using their leverage and influence,” he told 1News.
He described the deal as “positive steps forward”.
“And we hope it concludes in the end with the peace we’re looking for.”
At the United Nations in late September, Peters said New Zealand would not recognise Palestinian Statehood yet.
Acacia O’Connor spoke to Breakfast about the protest, and says the address she read out online wasn’t that of Winston Peters’ house. (Source: Breakfast)
“With a war raging, Hamas still in place, and no clarity on next steps, we do not think that time is now,” he said in his speech.
“We desperately want diplomacy to succeed, and we believe it is those countries with leverage who are most likely to achieve a breakthrough. That would show global leadership.”
He told 1News that peace in the region would be a step towards New Zealand recognising Palestine.
The war in Gaza began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that killed about 1200 people, many of them civilians. Israel’s retaliatory military campaign has left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, devastated Gaza and upended global politics.