Protesters position themselves at gates or surrounding streets of the Central Energy Trust stadium in Palmerston North where a defence force weapons forum is taking place. One man is dragged away and arrested after chaining himself to the front of a bus carrying attendees to the forum.

Protests against the defence forum in Palmerston North have turned ugly and delayed delegates getting to the venue, with barricades dismantled and insults and smoke bombs hurled.

Defence Industry Association chairman Andrew Ford said people attending had found the protests confrontational, and vehicles bringing them to the Central Energy Trust Arena were kept waiting while police and security worked to keep them safe.

Mayor Grant Smith and kaumātua Wiremu Te Awe Awe were among those prevented from attending the opening because of the delays.

Ford said he was immensely frustrated that Peace Action Manawatū's promise of peaceful protest was not delivered.

READ MORE:

* Peace activists protest against restrictions for Defence Forum

* Defence forum shuns 'arms fair' claims

* Protesters plan to 'stop the weapons expo'

* What is the New Zealand Defence Industry Association forum?

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters try to prevent a bus from entering a defence industry event at the Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North.

"I hope they realise how naive it was to say it would be peaceful.

"That might have been their intention, but there are other groups who simply do what they always do. They are abusive, violent and confrontational."

The locally organised peace march was dominated by church groups, but protesters from Wellington and Auckland swelled their numbers to about 200.

Ford said the forum was not the weapons expo protesters claimed. There were not weapons on display, there was no trading, just talk, networking and building relationships above how to deliver national security.

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Protesters have assembled outside the defence forum at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North, eager to get their messages across.

Inspector Peter Thurston said 10 people were arrested at the protests on Wednesday, two for assaulting police and then others for obstruction and disorder.

He said police were pleased with the behaviour of protesters involved in the march from The Square, in which about 200 people marched down Cuba St to the Arena in the afternoon.

"However, we are disappointed with the behaviour of some outside the venue who acted in a way that created safety issues, disrupted traffic, inconvenienced the wider public and in one instance, an officer was spat at."

"Blood on your hands," protesters chanted as they marched along Cuba St in Palmerston North.

"This is what democracy looks like."

Peace activists have called the event a weapons expo, but the New Zealand Defence Industry Association says it is mainly about bringing together suppliers of services and products to support the defence and national security sectors.

Earlier, a person who was chained to a bus was cut free and taken away by police.

A protester lobbed coloured smoke bombs. Some protesters threw water at police.

One person was handcuffed and put in the paddy wagon.

Protesters linked arms, sitting down in front of police outside the venue for the forum.

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Protesters march on Wednesday against the defence industry forum in Palmerston North.

Protesters were pushed off the Bourke St entrance to the Arena and police blocked Featherston St. The bus was driven away.

There were rolling stoppages of traffic as protesters walked along Cuba St, with a police escort in front and at the rear.

﻿They paused at the Waldegrave St roadblock. Green Party Palmerston North City councillor Brent Barrett told the crowd the lack of transparency about the defence forum displayed hypocrisy. He challenged all mayors to refuse to allow their cities or districts to host the forum in future.

1 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Kids sit by the stadium entrance on Pascal St. 2 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A group of Catholic protesters holds a vigil at a stadium gate on Pascal St. 3 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A group of Catholic protesters holds a vigil at a stadium gate on Pascal St. 4 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Anglican minister Andy Hickman stands with protesters at the entrance to Waldegrave St. 5 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Police block the Waldegrave St entrance, with protesters lined up close by. 6 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protestors and police line up at the entrance of Waldegrave St. 7 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Young girls holding signs protest the defence forum. 8 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A young girl holds up a sign protesting the forum. 9 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Police block the Waldegrave St entrance. Protesters stand beside them. 10 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Police at the Waldegrave St entrance. 11 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters block the path of a bus filled with people attending the forum. 12 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protestors in front of the bus. 13 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A group of protesters links arms to block the path of a bus. 14 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A man is dragged away and arrested after he chained himself to the front of a bus carrying forum attendees. 15 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Police take the man away. 16 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A man is handcuffed and led into a paddy wagon. 17 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A clown protests the on Bourke St. 18 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters march down Cuba St. 19 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters carry banners and crosses. 20 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Anglican Bishop of Wellington Justin Duckworth. 21 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Anglican Bishop of Wellington Justin Duckworth speaks to the crowd at the protest. 22 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Anglican Bishop of Wellington Justin Duckworth speaks to the crowd. 23 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Palmerston North city councillor Brent Barrett talks to the protesters. 24 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Barrett had his say over megaphone. 25 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters carry signs as they march down Cuba St. 26 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF There's no doubting the point of view of these protesters. 27 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters dress up as peas. 28 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Members of the Stormtrooper gang tussle with cops at the gate of a cordon. 29 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A large group of protesters stops on Pascal St during their march. 30 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters on Cuba St. 31 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Valerie Morse, from Auckland Peace Action, speaks at the protest. 32 of 32 DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters on Cuba St, Palmerston North.

​Manawatū peace marcher Karen Jones said police pushed her out of the way while she was watching protesters trying to prevent a bus entering the Arena from Cuba St. She stumbled and hurt her foot.

She said although there were people peacefully obstructing, she was out of the way and had not provoked anyone.

Dozens of police and tight security to keep protesters away from the defence forum also made it difficult for the city's women's health centre to operate.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Police and protesters face off at a roadblock outside the defence forum in Palmerston North.

The Pascal St frontage to the Arena has been barricaded off, and a handful of Catholic protesters held a prayer vigil under the watch of police and security guards.

Waldegrave St was completely closed to other vehicles near the entrance being used to shuttle attendees into the venue.

Auckland Peace Action posted video on its Facebook page of temporary fences outside the Arena being broken down earlier on Wednesday morning.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A smoke bomb flares as protesters block a bus from entering the defence industry forum.

Women's Health Collective spokeswoman Jean Hera said the extent of the blockade meant it would be difficult for women to get to appointments at the centre and a children's Halloween party might have to be cancelled.

"I'm so angry. We were misled," she said.

Hera said she and a colleague were not allowed to drive to their workplace, Te Hā o Hine-ahu-one, and were delayed from entering on foot.

"They won't let any clients in, and they can't tell us how long it will be like that. It could be for the whole two days."

One of the services the centre provides is free pregnancy testing kits. A woman who wanted to come to collect one was stopped at the roadblock, and Hera had to walk out and hand over the kit in a paper bag in the middle of the police cordon.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Protesters position themselves around the Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North, where a defence forum is taking place.

Hera said she had planned to join a peace march from The Square to the Arena at lunchtime, but was concerned if she left, she might not be allowed back in.

Anglican minister Andy Hickman was with a group of about 20 quiet protesters at the Pascal St approach to the Arena.

He said their key opposition to the forum was the presence of Lockheed Martin.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF Anglican minister Andy Hickman stands with the peace protesters outside the defence forum in Palmerston North.

"It was their bomb that killed children in Yemen in August. We believe they are at least complicit in bloodshed."

Peace Action Manawatū spokesman Fred Hirst said earlier there would be a police escort for the marchers, with rolling street closures to ensure the safety of those taking part.

Gazebos had been put up near the Arena providing refreshments and shelter for marchers and for anyone who wanted to separate themselves from any drama.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A bus is blocked at the top Bourke St, Palmerston North.

Hirst said the Manawatū group was determined the protest would be peaceful and not confrontational, but that did not detract from their deep abhorrence for the presence of companies closely connected to the arms industry.

The media has been denied access to the forum being attended by about 700 people, including New Zealand Defence Force representatives and businesses involved in the supply of products to defence and security operations.

DAVID UNWIN/STUFF A portable altar where protesters pray for peace commands a police and security vigil.