'Good thing I'm wearing an adult nappy': Priests chained to Willis’ office refuse to leave until she meets them

Author: Ethan Manera & Rachel Maher,
Publish Date: Tue, 16 Sept 2025, 1:42pm

Priests still chained to Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ office say they won’t move until they meet with her to discuss sanctioning Israel.

The group of six have been chained to the office since yesterday. They are also fasting and having to wear adult nappies in order to hold their post.

Willis this morning earlier declined their offer to break bread with the Christian priests.

Six Christian clergy spent the night sleeping outside Nicola Willis' office in Johnsonville.

The temperature in Wellington dropped to 10C overnight while the priests remained.

Rev Mel Mckenzie said this morning the group were in “good spirits”, although they were “tired and hungry” from the fast that began yesterday.

Rev Paul Fletcher shared on social media that it was a “good thing I’m wearing an adult nappy” as he sat chained outside the office.

Rev Paul Fletcher shared on his Instagram story the precautions he was taking.

The five Anglican priests and one Catholic priest extended their invitation to Willis this morning.

“We continue to invite the Hon Nicola Willis to come and meet with us here in her office, and discuss our desire for the Government to take stronger action against Israel’s war crimes and ongoing occupation of Palestine.

The six priests, calling for sanctions against Israel, were still still chained to each other early this morning outside Finance Minister Nicola Willis' office. Photo / Mark Mitchell.

“We also invite her to come and break bread with us at 10am Communion, and to consider those who have no bread to break in Gaza today, and the Israeli government that is starving them.”

A spokesperson for Willis said her schedule was too full to meet with them, and claimed the protesters were blocking the entrance to the office, which they have denied.

Rev Andy Hickman said it was “such a special night” with dozens of locals stopping by to offer encouragement as well as blankets and hot water bottles.

“We had no issues at all, lots of people joined us.”

Hickman said police visited at various points through the night, but did not mention moving the group along as “they were mainly checking on us that we were okay”.

“We will continue to be chained to the door. We want answers, we want promises, we want some resolutions.”

Rev Andy Hickman said dozens of locals stopped by to offer encouragement as well as blankets and hot water bottles. Photo / Ethan Manera

Yesterday, Willis said that while she supported the right for peaceful protest, she did not support the blocking of public access to her office or its staff member.

Hickman said they were not blocking people from entering her office and had offered to reimburse people who were inconvenienced.

“We had communicated with her team that we would pay for the coffee for those who had appointments”, but that offer wasn’t taken up.

“So far as we know, no one was hindered from entering.”

Police said yesterday that a small group was prevented access to the electorate office.

“No one was trespassed or arrested.”

Mckenzie told Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge that people had been delivering gifts of food, despite their fast.

She said they had only had “brief and positive” interactions with police, along with very positive interactions with the public.

“It’s been very peaceful... lots of children. I’m looking at beautiful young children now in front of me. It’s been a lovely community gathering.”

She said the offer to break bread with them this morning was extended to all locals, not just Willis, and they would be finishing with a prayer for Gaza.

“I feel so deeply that every life is incredibly precious. I’m a mother myself of three children, and we just wonder how many more children have to die before we’ll show moral courage as a nation and impose these sanctions on the Israeli government.”

Priests have chained themselves to Nicola Willis' office over Gaza. Photo / Ethan Manera

Anglican Archdeacon Martin Robinson, who was also at Willis’ office, said yesterday, “We are heartbroken to watch the starvation of children and bombing of entire families in Gaza while it is clear New Zealand is not doing all it can to intervene and put pressure on Israel to uphold international law.

“As priests, we believe every child is made in the image of God. Our faith motivates us to peacefully resist injustice and to call for action that can pressure change.”

Meanwhile, two Anglican priests and two Baptist pastors staged a demonstration at Health Minister Simeon Brown’s office in Pakuranga before being trespassed yesterday.

Protesters at Simeon Brown's office have shared images of themselves being walked out by police.