Doc staff threatened

The Department of Conservation says its staff and contractors have been threatened or harassed eight times in the South this year, as anti-1080 activism ramps up across the country.

Southern police have also revealed they are investigating several threats made last year to sabotage 1080 operations, including one involving the setting of man traps.

Department of Conservation (Doc) operations director southern South Island Aaron Fleming said in recent months there had been an increase in threats and harassment to Doc staff and contractors nationwide, including eight in Otago and Southland.

"People have a right to lawful protest but it’s not acceptable that Doc staff and contractors are being subject to abuse and threats for doing their jobs".

In response, Doc had set up a team dedicated to the safety of staff and contractors, he said. Southern police district operations manager Inspector Amelia Steel, of Dunedin, said seven separate threats to sabotage 1080 operations in 2017 were the subject of ongoing investigations.

"The reports relate to verbal threats to carry out wilful damage to equipment, setting man traps and disrupting 1080 operations."

The previous year, Southern police recorded eight reports regarding threats of wilful damage to a helicopter and threats to disrupt operations, Insp Steel said.

It was unclear if those reports had been investigated.

There has been a significant increase in anti-1080 activism this year, due largely to the proliferation of social media groups opposing the pest control poison.

Recent comments  on social media posts related to 1080 activity suggest everything from activists shooting down helicopters to disrupt aerial operations, to flying drones near helicopters involved in 1080 drops.

Asked what action police took regarding such social media threats, Insp Steel said "police recognise that people have a lawful right to protest".

"However, we don’t want anyone taking the law into their own hands."

She encouraged anyone with concerns about threatening behaviour to make a report to police.

Wanaka anti-1080 campaigner Carol Sawyer said she did not allow threatening or abusive comments on any social media page she managed, but the size of the movement meant such behaviour was inevitable.

"Social media is problematic in that respect."

Ms Sawyer said she had a made a report to police this week and improved her home’s security after receiving a threat of her own.

"I personally received a death threat last month via private message, from a pro-1080 person unknown to me."

A police spokeswoman confirmed the report had been received and said officers were investigating.

george.block@odt.co.nz