‘It’s illegal behaviour’ – Auckland Mayor Phil Goff hits out at protest led by Brian Tamaki
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the actions of anti-government protesters who shut down part of Auckland’s freeway on Saturday put lives at risk.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has said that if Church of Destiny leader Brian Tamaki wants to act like a politician, he should run for office instead.
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The protest was led by Church of Destiny leader Brian Tamaki, who called on all major political parties to stand down.
Police said they could charge some of the protesters in the coming days. About 1,000 anti-government protesters marched on the busy Auckland Southern Highway on July 23.
“They all walked on the freeway and that in itself is risky, no warning to the police, but a pedestrian … walked into the lane of oncoming cars,” Goff said. morning report.
“It’s not appropriate behavior, it’s illegal behavior and I expect them to be held accountable for breaking the law and acting dangerously.”
He didn’t expect hundreds of people to be arrested, but said Tamaki was disruptive.
“It was instigated by Mr. Tamaki.
“Everyone has the right to protest, but no one has the right to break the law and Mr. Tamaki seems time and time again to show that he is above the law. Of course, he is not. not.”
Goff said Tamaki was not acting like a church leader and if he wanted to be a politician, he should run for office instead.
The mayor said it was disconcerting that Tamaki described the restrained motorists as motorists and arrogant.
“Maybe Mr. Tamaki should look in a mirror,” Goff said.
The march was organized by the Freedom and Rights Coalition.
Photo: RNZ/ Jonty Dine
However, Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy, who is a friend of Tamaki’s wife Hannah, said The first standing he was not okay with “that kind of behavior”.
“I’m very pro-vax…I put a lot of distance between myself and these bands, but that doesn’t change the fact that it happened, and that doesn’t change the fact that it’s disappointing for the town. “
He said he admires the work Destiny Church does for people who are going through difficult times.
Molloy said he went to Auckland Domain on behalf of the Newmarket Business Association to stop the protest from continuing.
At Auckland Domain.
Photo: RNZ/Jonty Dine
Fellow mayoral candidate Viv Beck objected to the protesters’ tactics, but said there was a lot of concern and anger over decisions made by the central government.
“There is a strong tendency for change, but I think it needs to be expressed in a way that doesn’t affect others.
“People are concerned about decisions being made in Wellington that kind of get hoisted onto Auckland, and I’ve been to enough meetings now to know that it’s people from different communities expressing similar themes, so there was definitely a problem.”
She urged people to vote for change.