Police Minister Mark Mitchell says Destiny Church’s “vile rhetoric and behaviour” is not welcome in New Zealand and has condemned both the protest and the use of culturally significant and sacred weapons for hate.
It comes as religious groups targeted in a flag-burning stunt during Destiny Church’s rally on Saturday called for the government to act now to stop the divide, claiming the unrest is at similar levels seen before the March 15 terror attack.
At least one claim has already been lodged with the Human Rights Commission after the protest that saw Brian Tamaki and scores of his followers march down Queen St, ripping up flags of religions and movements they deemed “satanic”.
The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, the Combined Sikh Association of New Zealand and the New Zealand Buddhist Council have come together to urge politicians to take action before hate crimes rise rapidly and lives are lost.
Meanwhile, Mitchell, also the ethnic communities minister, said while freedom of speech is not up for debate, he was “appalled” watching the footage of taiaha, a culturally sacred weapon, being used to stab at flags representing minority groups before they were burned on a city street.
“Behaviour that incites discrimination or violence is damaging and reductive. I condemn the vile rhetoric and behaviour of the Destiny Church and its associates. The behaviour I saw was not Kiwi, nor Christian.”
NZ Herald
