New Zealand mobilises: on 20 June, a major march for peace

The New Zealand pacifist movement is entering a new phase of active mobilisation, aiming to oppose the government's increasing involvement in US-led military plans in the Indo-Pacific. The beating heart of the protest will be the “March for Peace” (Hīkoi), a major national demonstration scheduled for 20 June 2026 in Auckland organised by Anti-War Aotearoa and Greenpeace.

The March for Peace on 20 June

The event, which will start from Aotea Square in the heart of Auckland, will formally call on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his coalition government to reject any military agreements, not to send troops, funds, or information in support of US-led wars, and to immediately withdraw the country from any involvement in ongoing conflicts. The organisers invite participants to bring friends, banners, placards, and drums to join in a march that aims to be a hymn to peace and a clear rejection of militarisation.

In this article, you will read the word Aotearoa several times, which is the name used by the indigenous Māori people for New Zealand. The literal meaning can be translated into English as "the land of the long white cloud". 

Niamh O’Flynn, Director of Programmes at Greenpeace Aotearoa, stated: “We oppose Luxon and the coalition government allowing Aotearoa to be dragged into Trump’s wars, and we firmly oppose the war minerals agreement being negotiated to fuel those wars.” O’Flynn reiterated the call for an independent foreign policy that “prioritises peace, upholds the United Nations Charter, and supports the well-being of people and the planet”.

Gabriella Brayne, spokesperson for Anti-War Aotearoa, emphasised the urgency of the mobilisation: “We march because Aotearoa must become a voice for peace and reason in an increasingly unstable world, rather than being a bystander in these illegal foreign wars”.

The five key demands

The march will focus on five key points, which represent the core of the New Zealand pacifist movement's platform:

1. The government must condemn the illegal US-Israeli attack on Iran, which has caused global instability.

2. No military support or deployment of New Zealand troops, aircraft, ships, missiles, or intelligence in support of US-led aggressive wars.

3. New Zealand must reject any war minerals agreement with the Trump administration.

4. Implement immediate and significant sanctions against Israel to help end the genocide in Gaza.

5. Consistently support the United Nations Charter and the proceedings of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on war crimes.

The “Oppose AUKUS” campaign

Alongside the street mobilisation, a national petition campaign called “Oppose AUKUS” is active, promoted through the digital activism network ActionStation. The petition calls on the New Zealand government to reject any role in the AUKUS military pact and to condemn the use of nuclear weapons and non-peaceful nuclear technologies in the Pacific. The initiative highlights how AUKUS represents a threat to the country’s “Nuclear-Free” legacy and its traditional independent foreign policy, based on friendship with all and the absence of enemies.

A context of rising tension

The mobilisations come in a context of rising geopolitical tensions and government pushes for greater military alignment with the United States. Just a few months ago, Greenpeace organised a symbolic protest outside Prime Minister Luxon’s electoral office, transforming it into an imaginary “Trump’s War Minerals Headquarters” to oppose a potential agreement to supply “critical” minerals to the United States, seen as functional to the arms industry.

At the same time, statements from Defence Minister Chris Penk, who suggested the need for a review of New Zealand’s historic “nuclear-free” law, have sparked political debate. Although the Prime Minister’s office subsequently ruled out any changes to the country’s “nuclear-free” status, fears of a gradual erosion of the principles of national independence that have characterised New Zealand’s foreign policy remain high.

A signal to the international community

The March for Peace on 20 June is not just a local event, but an important signal to the international community. In an era of rising conflicts and global rearmament, New Zealand civil society is reclaiming its historical role as a builder of peace, opposing any militaristic drift. As the organisers have stated, the goal is clear: to make Aotearoa a nation that invests in health, education, and the environment, not in wars and militarisation.

Event details

• What: March for Peace (Hīkoi)

• Promoted by: Anti-War Aotearoa & Greenpeace Aotearoa

• When: Saturday 20 June 2026, 12:00

• Where: Aotea Square, Auckland

For those wishing to support the campaign, it is possible to sign the “Oppose AUKUS” petition at the following link: https://our.actionstation.org.nz/petitions/oppose-aukus-for-an-independent-demilitarised-and-nuclear-free-pacific.