Jacinda Ardern’s office attacked with a machete as woman is arrested

A woman has been arrested after she allegedly used a large machete to smash holes into the front of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern‘s electoral office.

Police were called to Ms Ardern’s office in the central Auckland suburb of Morningside on Thursday at about 8.20am following reports the door was smashed and an object was thrown inside. 

 A 57-year-old woman was arrested at a Coatesville home, a rural community 30km north west of Auckland, according to news outlet Stuff.  

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s electoral office was smashed on Thursday

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An eyewitness said they saw a person walking down the road towards the office, smashing the front doors with what appeared to be a samurai sword. 

The person was then seen throwing something through a hole in the door, with smoke coming out of the building shortly after. 

A large knife, believed to be a machete, was found by passers-by lying on the ground on New North Road and was later photographed and collected by police.

The New Zealand news outlet claimed it received an email at 9.03am from a person declaring responsibility for the attack.

‘At 8.20 this morning I smashed a hole in her electoral office door and dropped the bomb in [sic],’ the email read.

Police confirmed no one was injured in the attack and are conducting a full investigation into the ‘willful damage’ at the office. 

‘No injuries have been reported and the building was unoccupied at the time,’ police said.

‘A scene examination will be conducted and inquiries remain ongoing.’ 

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden was almost 5,000 kilometres away in Antarctica when the attack occurred. 

Ms Ardern and her fiancé Clarke Gayford reached Scott Base on Wednesday on their second attempt after a flight on Tuesday was turned back due to poor weather at McMurdo Sound.

The prime minister is due back in NZ late on Friday, after she visits  the research station.