George Floyd protests in New Zealand

Shortly after protests seeking justice for George Floyd, an African-American who was killed during a police arrest, began in the United States, people in New Zealand protested to show solidarity with Americans and to demonstrate against perceived issues with police brutality and structural discrimination in New Zealand. Vigils and protests of thousands of participants have taken part nationwide.

George Floyd protests in New Zealand
Part of George Floyd protests
Date1 June 2020 – 14 June 2020
Location
New Zealand
Caused by

Background

The George Floyd protests sparked a strong response among New Zealanders, in particular among the indigenous Māori people who face structural discrimination similarly to African Americans in the United States.[1] In the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, the police conducted a trial of equipping normally unarmed police officers with firearms. The trial ended in April 2020 without incidents of officers discharging their weapon.[1]

Reactions

Several prominent Māori and other Polynesian figures including Taika Waititi and Parris Goebel expressed solidarity with George Floyd.[2]

Political

Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern has stated that she was "horrified" by the situation around the killing of George Floyd. Ardern had been criticised by local Black Lives Matter solidarity protesters for remaining silent about Floyd's death for a week.[3][4] Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politicians James Shaw and Marama Davidson both stated they believed U.S. President Donald Trump was racist when asked by press gallery journalist about his inflammatory tweets. Todd Muller declined to answer the question.[5]

In a letter, Davidson requested that police commissioner Andrew Coster end the testing of armed officers. She also called for Coster to acknowledge New Zealand's challenges with racism and discrimination.[5] On 9 June, Coster announced that the New Zealand Police would be scrapping their armed response teams after public feedback and consultation with community forum groups.[6][7][8] However, just a day after Coster announced the Armed Response Teams would be axed, he floated the idea of arming the police with sponge bullets instead. Emilie Rākete, a spokesperson for the Arms Down campaign, responded by saying that sponge bullets are extremely dangerous, and will be used against Māori more than any other group if they are rolled out.[9]

On 1 June, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters criticised protesters in Auckland for violating the government's COVID-19 regulations regarding limited social gatherings.[2]

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman stated, "The disease of state-based discrimination is not constrained to American borders. We must acknowledge that here in New Zealand, at every single step of the justice system, Māori face increased discrimination. This means that Māori experience more arrests, more prosecutions, longer jail sentences, more brutality, and deaths, than Pākehā in similar circumstances."[1]

Civil society
The removal of Captain Hamilton's statue drew considerable media attention.

On 9 June 2020, the Akaroa–based bar and restaurant "Bully Hayes Restaurant" announced that it would be changing its name after several historians including Scott Hamilton criticised its namesake William "Bully" Hayes' involvement in blackbirding in the Pacific during the late 19th century.[10][11]

On 10 June, Marist College in Auckland attracted publicity after teachers reportedly tore down Black Lives Matter posters. Students organised a nine minutes silence for George Floyd and started an online petition to highlight racial issues at the college, alleging that several teachers had been racist towards students.[12][13] In response, Prime Minister Ardern voiced support for the students' activism. In addition, a formal complaint was lodged against Marist College.[14] On 16 June, 30 students staged a peaceful protest against alleged "systematic racism" at the college.[15]

On 12 June, the North Island city of Hamilton removed a statue of British Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton at the request of local Māori iwi Waikato Tainui. Captain Hamilton was controversial among Māori for his role at the Battle of Gate Pā during the New Zealand Wars. The statue's removal has been linked to calls for the removal of statues of figures associated with colonialism and racism in New Zealand and the world, which had been precipitated by the killing of George Floyd. [16][17] In response, the Māori Party's co-leader and Te Tai Hauāuru candidate Debbie Ngarewa-Packer called on the Government to establish an inquiry to identify and remove what she regarded as racist monuments, statues and names associated with New Zealand's colonial era.[17][18] The Marlborough District's Deputy Mayor Nadine Taylor has also called for the renaming of Picton due to his controversial governorship of Trinidad. Calls to remove statues were opposed by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and National Party Member of Parliament Simeon Brown, who described them as a "wave of wokeism" and "erasing history."[19]

On 13 June, a statue of Captain James Cook in the North Island town of Gisborne was vandalised with graffiti promoting Black and Māori rights and swastikas.[20] On 15 June, the leasehold upstairs venue to Dunedin's Captain Cook Hotel announced that it would be changing its name in response to both Captain James Cook's controversial legacy among Māori and the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by George Floyd's killing.[21][22] The building and downstairs restaurant will keep its name.[23]

In addition, statues of Queen Victoria and Scottish poet Robert Burns were targeted by protesters in Dunedin in mid-June due to the former's association with British colonialism and the latter's alleged complicity in slavery.[24] On 18 June, it was reported that the Rangitikei District Council had covered up a statue of Captain Cook in Marton pending a decision about its future in response to the public debate around colonial era statues, monuments, and place names.[25]

Calls to remove monuments to controversial colonial figures also triggered a call by LifeNet charity director Brendan Malone to remove a monument to Māori chief and Ngāti Toa military leader Te Rauparaha in Ōtaki since had enslaved, tortured, and eaten members of rival Māori tribes. In response, Victoria University of Wellington historian Dr Arini Loader and former Labour Party candidate Shane Te Pou disputed Malone's attempts to draw a moral equivalence with colonial figures such as Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton, arguing that Te Rauparaha had supported a local church and that other iwi including Rauparaha's former victims recognised his historical importance.[26]

Organisations

Arms Down NZ stated that they saw a parallel in the plight of African Americans and the indigenous communities in New Zealand in regards to police brutality and racism.[1]

Demonstrations
June 14 Black Lives Matter protest in Auckland
One of the placards in Kirikiriroa highlighted the proportions of black populations relative to prison populations

1 June

[28][29] The Auckland event was organised by several African New Zealanders including Mahlete Tekeste, African-American expatriate Kainee Simone, sportsperson Israel Adesanya, and musician Mazbou Q. Speakers linked the issues faced by African Americans to those faced by Māori and Pacific Islanders in New Zealand.[30] The American flag in front of the consulate general appeared to have been removed prior to the protest.[31] Protesters had signs including "Be kind", "Silence is Betrayal", and "Do Better, Be Better". Participants in this protest were in violation of social distancing protocols in place for the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand which limits gatherings to fewer than 100 people.[2] Protesters performed a haka.[1] A primary school teacher named Ethan Aloiai who wore a "Make America Great Again" hat had his hat seized and burned by protesters. Despite public interest, the Teaching Council declined to pursue disciplinary action against Aloiai.[32][33]

13 June
  • Hamilton (Kirikiriroa): As noted above, this protest was preceded by removal of the controversial Hamilton statue. At least 969 attended this event,[39] though TV One News said 959.[40] Drone footage suggests the numbers may have been rather higher.[41] The hikoi started in Memorial Park and ended in Garden Place.[39]

14 June

References
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  2. Ainge Roy, Eleanor (1 June 2020). "Thousands in New Zealand protest against George Floyd killing". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  3. Besanvelle, James (2 June 2020). "Jacinda Ardern responds after being criticised for week-long 'silence' over George Floyd's death". The Independent. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. "Ardern says George Floyd situation in US 'horrifying'". Radio New Zealand. 2 June 2020. Archived from the original on 4 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  5. Ainge Roy, Eleanor (5 June 2020). "New Zealand minister says yes – Trump is racist amid George Floyd protests". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  6. Sherwood, Sam; Devlin, Collete (9 June 2020). "Police Commissioner rules out bringing back Armed Response Teams". Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
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  9. "Police Commissioner criticised for floating idea of sponge bullets". Radio New Zealand. 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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  11. Burrows, Matt; Carran, Holly (9 June 2020). "Akaroa restaurant Bully Hayes, named after 19th Century rapist slaver, to change its name". Newshub. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  12. "Student says Marist College teachers are racist towards her peers". New Zealand Herald. 10 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  13. Truebridge, Nick (10 June 2020). "Marist College students unite over school's Black Lives Matter response". Stuff. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
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  24. Lewis, John (15 June 2020). "'Rapist': Dunedin protesters target two statues of historic figures". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
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