Labour's Chris Hipkins says his party won't be intimidated by 'anti-science'

The Post has reported that Labour volunteers had to form a protective barrier around health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall to fend off anti-vaccination protesters at an event in Wellington on Tuesday night.Speaking to media, Hipkins said he had spoken with Verrall since the incident."I took great heart from the fact that the audience in that room were very supportive of Ayesha. They didn't agree with the stance being taken by the anti-vaxxers who were trying to disrupt that meeting... I appreciate that," Hipkins said."We're not going to stop getting out and about, meeting with people, speaking in public meetings because there are a few people trying to disrupt that. This is an election, we want to be out and about. [and] we're not going to be put off by them," he said.Hipkins said some people had strong "anti-science" views and they did not represent the "vast bulk" of New Zealanders."The actions of a very small minority were completely unacceptable, and we're not going to let their actions derail our election campaign," he said.Asked if he expected more incidences over the election campaign, Hipkins said Labour were "very mindful" that the election would be "heated"."There are always a small minority who want to disrupt things, who want to potentially resort to violent methods."We're very mindful of that, but we're not going to stop getting out and about there engaging with the public [and] answering their questions."A video posted to social media by former ACT party marketing director John Ansell shows Verrall being accused of "mass murdering people".Police at the event were also heckled and accused of being "in league with the mass murderers".