Police are investigating an alleged altercation between a New Conservative party supporter and a member of the public in North New Brighton.
The New Conservative party alleges its supporter, aged 76, was assaulted. But the member of the public’s partner claims it happened the other way around.
New Conservative candidate for Christchurch East Helen Houghton said the party supporter had laid a complaint with police. He sustained minor injuries, she said.
“I’ve heard two different stories. Until the matter has been dealt with, the New Conservatives will look at all of the facts when we get them.”
A police spokeswoman would not say who assaulted who because “inquiries are still ongoing.”
The assault is alleged to have happened on June 9 in Leaver Tce. It was reported to the police the following day, the spokeswoman said.
A post made on the New Conservative NZ Facebook page after the alleged incident read: “One of our supporters, was handing out leaflets when he was verbally and physically attacked by a much younger man.
“We are saddened by this and doing everything we can to make sure our supporters are safe when out campaigning. Violence has no place in politics,” it said.
It said his pamphlets were thrown to the ground and he attempted to defend himself while being “repeatedly hit in the head by a man half his age.”
But a post made to the Peoples Independent Republic of New Brighton Facebook page by the partner of the member of the public read: “There was a man around Sea Eagles Pl/Leaver Tce area this afternoon handing out brochures for the New
Conservative party who was very pushy with my partner while he was on his way to do after school pick up.
“Unfortunately, after disagreeing on political points of view it ended up this guy punched my partner and was laying into him when he was knocked down on the ground all while our four-year-old daughter, who was just going to school with her dad to get her big sister from, watched,” it said.
The woman declined to talk to The Star about the alleged incident.
