Jacinda Ardern responds to accusation she ‘barged’ sign language interpreter out of the way

Jacinda Ardern has responded to accusations she “barged” a sign language interpreter out of the way during a press conference on Friday.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has responded to accusations she “barged” a sign language interpreter out of the way during a press conference on Friday.

Footage of Ms Ardern during a Covid-19 update went viral after global media outlets, including CNN and the Daily Mail, zoned in on the moment Ms Ardern stepped away from the podium and in front of the sign language interpreter.

The interpreter was then seen stepping around Ms Ardern and taking her spot next to Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson – who was at the podium – to resume her role.

In a report, CNN’s Jeanne Moss accused the PM of “bigfooting her interpreter off the screen” and “physically edging the interpreter out of the picture”.

Jacinda Ardern has responded to reports she "barged" a sign language interpreter out of the way during a press conference. Picture: Supplied

And while she acknowledged Ms Ardern’s “apologetic smile”, she then compared the action to the moment Donald Trump was filmed appearing to push aside Montenegro’s Prime Minister during a 2017 NATO summit.

The Daily Mail, meanwhile, called the footage “astonishing” and wrote that the interpreter was “not happy” about being “barged out of the way”.

Questioned over the incident on her way into parliament today, Ms Ardern told reporters it was not intentional.

“She was to my left and I was trying to not get in the way of my colleagues and cross over them and maintain social distance,” she said.

“But of course, in doing so, I cut her off – not intentionally, as you can imagine, and I apologised to her at the time.”

Ms Ardern’s response comes after a former high-profile New Zealand television and radio presenter took aim at the government and the PM in a controversial and bizarre anti-vaccine rant.

Former Breakfast, Good Morning and Radio NZ presenter Liz Gunn suggested last Friday’s earthquake that hit the central North Island was Mother Nature’s response to Ms Ardern’s new vaccine mandates.

In a video online, Gunn relayed a message saying the worst part of the newly-announced system – which maintains stricter restrictions for the unvaccinated – is its ability to “separate us” from one another.

The former presenter then hit out at Ms Ardern claiming mandatory vaccinations are “rape” and that Mother Earth is rising up against a “tyrannical” leader.

“Our mother, our jewel, this beautiful country said enough! Enough!” Gunn said.

“I need other mothers to stand and with them the men who love their strength and power.”

She then accused the government of poisoning New Zealand’s children and the nation.

“Because it is the mothers who know what is going on. The poisoning of our children, the poisoning of our air, the poisoning of our waters. The poisoning of New Zealand with these terrible ideas,” she said.

“These completely misguided lies Ardern is telling us. The poisoning with arrogant tyrannical leaders. All of this is it stops with this earthquake. That’s what our mother was explaining to us. We must listen to her. Even those who think Ardern is amazing.

“Stop and think, what will this country be like in a generation or two generations if a leader like this is allowed to jab rape. Because it is rape to force something in someone’s body.”

Ms Ardern has previously defended New Zealand’s sweeping vaccine mandates, which cover workers in the hospitality sector and other venues where customers are expected to show proof of vaccination.

“If customers should be vaccinated, so should staff,” Ms Ardern said a week ago, arguing the mandates were “absolutely not” an example of government overreach.