Twelve people have been arrested following a protest in Mackenzie, Canterbury.
Greenpeace activists chain themselves to machinery in protest at a dairy farm expansion in the Mackenzie region. Photo: Nick Young / Greenpeace
Protesters had chained themselves to heavy machinery in an attempt to stop a mega-dairy conversion in the area.
Greenpeace said the diggers were working on a huge irrigation pipeline for the farm.
The group said 12 people were arrested following the protest, including an 88-year-old South Island man.
Spokesperson Genevieve Toop earlier told RNZ five police cars were at the scene of the protest and had shut off access to the area. She said the protesters had hoped to be there until the end of the day.
Police said those arrested had been taken to the Timaru police station.
