A man has been arrested after he allegedly threatened to kill protesting nurses in Christchurch.

At 10.20am, police responded to reports of two men acting in a threatening manner towards a group of protesters gathered in the central city.

The event was a part of a national protest which saw more than 36,000 healthcare workers walk off the job today for 24 hours, over deadlocked contract negotiations with Te Whatu Ora.

Stuff reported that a witness saw the man and an associate pace up and down Cambridge Terrace as the banner-waving nurses marched past.

The agitated man allegedly began to wave a knife with a long blade, and shouted that he would kill nurses because his grandmother was “dying” in hospital and they weren’t working.

The witness told Stuff he thought the man had thrown the knife into the nearby Avon River.

A man was taken into custody for disorderly behaviour.

Health NZ is offering a 2% pay increase this year, 1% next year and a lump sum payment of $325.

It has also sought to extend the term of the agreement by three months to 27 months to January 2027.

The union points out that a longer term would further dilute the value of the pay rise.

The Nurses Organisation wants a 3% increase this year, backdated to April 7 and 2% next year effective April 2026.

The union’s chief executive, Paul Goulter said that pay was not the critical issue.

“The heart of this dispute is the failure of the Government to provide guarantees that they will fund and resource staffing that meets what our patients need.”

Nurses from all over Auckland gathered in the Auckland CBD to march up Queen Street today. The event was part of a national protest that saw 36,000 nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants and kaimahi hauora walk off the job for 24 hours from 9am. Photo / Dean Purcell

Data obtained by the NZNO under the Official Information Act for 16 districts over 10 months last year showed 50% of day shifts were under-staffed.

The nurses’ organisation said its members were also fighting for safe staffing levels for patients.

Waikato Hospital emergency department nurse and union delegate Tracy Chisholm said the ED was so short-staffed that patients who soiled themselves could end up lying for hours in their filth because staff did not have time to help.

Waikato Hospital emergency department nurse and union delegate Tracy Chisholm. Photo / Natalie Akoorie, RNZ

Other patients could wait all night just to be seen.

“It could mean 14 hours sitting in a waiting room through the night. It’s not uncommon for patients who arrive at 9pm to not see a doctor until the following morning,” she said.