before Waitangi Day, as Prime Minister John Key was being escorted onto the lower marae, he was challenged and jostled by two nephews of Māori Party MP Hone Harawira. Both admitted to assault and were sentenced to 100 hours of community service. In 2011, the pair again heckled Key as he entered the marae. A wet T-shirt thrown at Queen Elizabeth II and other attacks on various prime ministers at Waitangi on 6 February have resulted in a large police presence and a large contingent of the armed forces on some years. In 2016 a nurse protesting against the proposed signing of the TPPA trade agreement threw a rubber dildo at Steven Joyce, the MP representing Prime Minister John Key, who had refused to attend, having been denied normal speaking rights. The woman was arrested but later released. In 2018, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visited Waitangi for five days, the longest any prime minister has stayed. Titewhai Harawira, a Māori activist, greeted Ardern and escorted her onto the treaty grounds holding hands—a significant change from Harawira's response to Helen Clark's visit in 1998, which brought Clark to tears. Ardern is also the first female prime minister to be given speaking rights on the marae by Ngāpuhi, who also offered to bury her child's placenta on the treaty grounds. Ardern was praised for her speech during her visit where she said "one day I want to be able to tell my child that I earned the right to stand here, and only you can tell me when I have done that". See also New Zealand Day Act 1973 Waitangi Day Act References External links A history of Waitangi Day at NZHistory.gov.nz WaitangiTribunal.govt.nz, introducing the Treaty of Waitangi The Waitangi Collection at NZ On Screen February observances Public holidays in New Zealand Race relations in New Zealand National days Remembrance days Treaty of Waitangi 1934 establishments in New Zealand Summer events in New Zealand Summer holidays (Southern Hemisphere)