Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.
The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.
It was posted to social media last night.
But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you won’t notice that.
You’ll just see a lot of Haka footage in their coverage.
If you read NZ Herald, you’ll get a version of events that neatly ends with Brian Tamaki’s explanation that he was just taking “peaceful action” and ‘protecting kids’.
NZME also appear happy to lead articles with Brian Tamaki quotes attacking Te Pāti Māori and Labour.
Yesterday, many of Tamaki’s protestors were wearing T-shirts that said: “Raising fathers to save our children.”
My opinion is, like the NACT-NZF government, everything Tamaki promotes is based on a pretext of goodness - for someone or other … even if the outcomes don’t eventuate - or they are the polar opposite.
Kids is a good one.
And I believe his followers might genuinely believe it.
Kids tugs at every heart string (except Simeon Brown’s, perhaps)
And purity might feel like an attractive goal - even if it’s conjured.
Afterwards, Tamaki proudly linked to the NZME NZ Herald article he was quoted in on his social media, declaring a“war on woke”.
Kiwis are looking for accountability, I expect.
So far, only Auckland Councillors, the Mayor, and Chlöe Swarbrick have spoken out to condemn the events.
Stuff didn’t bother quoting Swarbrick
Auckland Council said it was “extremely disappointed in the non-peaceful actions of protesters [at the] rainbow-friendly educational event.”
Thanks, but where is the action?
Last year, Labour MP Shanan Halbert called for Destiny Church to be held to account.
And in 2023, Marama Davidson was supporting a trans rights protest when she was knocked over by a motorcyclist.
The individual who did it was part of a large group of motorcyclists - while Destiny Church members on motorbikes rallied nearby.
Violence isn’t only physical - like touching someone without their permission or pushing them down or forcing them aside, like in the video above.
It’s also psychological and emotional. It emanates from words, conduct and threats.
That’s why hate speech laws exist - the ones that this government might attack if given the chance.
Look -
Perhaps convictions are hard to come by
Perhaps the physical threat is too large.
Perhaps the friendliness is too deep
Perhaps alliances are important
Perhaps values align
I don’t know.
What I do know is the last government oversaw Destiny Church’s tax free status for two of its charities removed - but I presume there are many more.
What now — and when will the media report it all?
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