Students protest, spit in front of David Seymour during school visit

Thursday, 14 March 2024

Students protest, spit at, ACT leader David Seymour

Angry students protested when ACT leader David Seymour visited their school.
One student spat at, or near, Seymour as others swamped his car.

Furious students have protested ACT leader David Seymour, with one student spitting on the ground in front of him during a school visit in Manawatū.

The students faced off Seymour with a haka as he went to leave Freyberg High School in Palmerston North on Thursday.

ACT leader David Seymour watches students haka in protest of his visit to their school.

Seymour stood in front of the students as they performed the Ngāti Toa haka Ka Mate, before moving into the crowd to leave the school. At that point, students swamped his car. It appeared his Crown Car was kicked as it drove out the school gate.

Seymour, who was visiting the school as associate education minister, said he wasn’t concerned. He told Stuff the spit did not hit him.

“It’s all good,” he said.

'That's just the way it goes, kids get a bit excited.. one kid got a bit excited.'

He said the student spat at the ground in front of him. He called it a bit “theatrical”.

'I think he may have been watching too many videos,“ he said.

'I think basically what you had was a politician they recognised… and a few kids got a bit excited about it.'

Seymour said Freyberg High School was impressive. He had been visiting to check in their programme to increase school attendance.

'An outstanding group of school leaders, a great principal and a very impressive attendance officer. Good group of people,“ Seymour said of the trip.

Families from Freyberg High School told Stuff the students were angry about talk that the Government, and Seymour as minister, were looking to cut back on free school lunches.

Freyberg High School receives free school lunches as part of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako, programme.

In videos shared from the school, teachers created a human barrier between Seymour and the students as they screamed when he walked out of a school building.

When the haka finished and Seymour started walking towards his car, many of the students started swearing “f.. you” at him.