Editing Philip Nitschke (section)

===Operation Painter===
In October 2016 New Zealand police, in a "sting" operation code named "Operation Painter", set up roadblocks (checkpoints) outside an Exit International meeting and took down names and addresses of all attendees.<ref name="roadblocks">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85828119/Wellington-woman-Annemarie-Treadwells-death-trigger-for-Police-euthanasia-furore |title=Wellington woman Annemarie Treadwell's death trigger for Police euthanasia furore |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |publisher=Fairfax NZ |date=2016-10-28 |access-date=2016-10-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924215628/http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85828119/wellington-woman-annemarie-treadwells-death-trigger-for-police-euthanasia-furore |archive-date=24 September 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Some of the elderly members of the group were later visited at their homes by police with warrants, and searches were conducted. Computers, tablets, cameras, letters and books were seized.<ref name="seize">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85896648/letters-from-dead-friend-seized-during-controversial-police-euthanasia-crackdown |title=Letters from dead friend seized during controversial police euthanasia crackdown |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |date=2016-11-01 |access-date=2016-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144321/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85896648/letters-from-dead-friend-seized-during-controversial-police-euthanasia-crackdown |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Nitschke said police actions were unprecedented and probably in breach of the Bill of Rights, which guaranteed freedom of association. The police operation was the subject of an [[Independent Police Conduct Authority]] investigation.<ref name="roadblocks" /> Legal action against the police followed.<ref name="legal-action">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85989298/police-facing-legal-action-after-wellington-euthanasia-checkpoint |title=Police facing legal action after Wellington euthanasia checkpoint |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |date=2016-11-03 |access-date=2016-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612155038/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/85989298/police-facing-legal-action-after-wellington-euthanasia-checkpoint |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In March 2018, the Independent Police Conduct Authority found Operation Painter to be illegal.<ref name="gisborne">{{cite news |url=http://gisborneherald.co.nz/opinion/3363141-135/the-new-zealand-kgb |title=The New Zealand KGB? |work=The Gisborne Herald |date=2018-05-11 |access-date=2018-05-29 }}</ref>

This coincided with another action by New Zealand police in which 76-year old Patsy McGrath, a member of Nitschke's Exit group, had her home raided in 2016 and her store-bought helium balloon cylinder confiscated under warrant.<ref name="balloon">{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/85307936/Police-seize-voluntary-euthanasia-advocates-helium-balloon-kit |title=Police seize voluntary euthanasia advocate's helium balloon kit |work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] |date=2016-10-14 |access-date=2016-10-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215060607/http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/85307936/police-seize-voluntary-euthanasia-advocates-helium-balloon-kit |archive-date=15 February 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The confiscation of the cylinder was later found to be illegal and it was returned to her in 2018.<ref name="gisborne" />