Axe attack sparks investigation

A criminal investigation into an axe attack on Prime Minister Helen Clark’s electoral office in Mt Albert was initiated shortly after 6.30 this morning.

Police received a call from a member of the public at 6.29am and later – 6.40am – from Radio New Zealand staff, who informed them about the attack.

Avondale CIB have secured the electoral office building at 65 Sandringham Rd, along with a phone booth on Williamson Ave, in the hope either or both of the sites will deliver some clues as to who was responsible for the attack.

The axe used is embedded in a window frame at the office, but will be removed before long. A large window was smashed in the attack.

Some fliers were recovered from near the footpath on Ponsonby Rd after the caller to Radio New Zealand directed staff there "to find out what the attack was about".

The person believed to be responsible for the attack has expressed some opposition to the issues around the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

Western Area Commander Inspector George Fraser said everything would be done to try and identify the person or people responsible.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>