Jacinda Ardern was mobbed by students looking for a selfie at the ribbon cutting event for a newly-rebuilt school in Christchurch.
Ardern was visiting the new campus of Te Aratai College which had previously been known as Linwood College before a renaming last month. The PM's visit was intended to be a formal ribbon-cutting opening for the college's rebuilt campus.
Police also encountered several dozen protesters outside the school campus, however, Ardern used a side entrance to avoid them.
Speaking to media, she said protesters had "zero effect" on the event.
"It would be a shame to let it detract from, for instance, what was otherwise a really lovely day, with a group of school students excited about the reopening of their brand new school," she said.
"It's not up to me to decide which driveway we use and usually it's of no material impact on which entrance we come in."
It was unclear what protesters outside the school were campaigning against.
Footage from outside the event showed police guarding the school while protesters yelled and held signs protesting against a variety of issues.
One protesters sign read: "Taxpayer Money Buys Media Lies And Corruption" while others were against the Government's Three Waters proposals.
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