PSNA has written to Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith today
requesting proposed ‘move-on’ laws will specifically
continue to allow free speech and the right to protest under
the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
The approach to
government comes in the wake of last week’s attempt by
Christchurch City Councillor, Aaron Keown, to close down
Palestine solidarity protests at Christchurch’s Bridge of
Remembrance.
As reported
on Radio New Zealand Keown is insisting the police are
keen to use theproposed new laws to shift protests
on:
Keown said police told him months ago that they
needed powers like the proposed
move-on orders, which he believed would help
disperse protesters.
Councillor Keown welcomed
the newly
announced move-on powers, which he believed would
“absolutely help” disperse protesters, something Woods
(Amnesty International director of advocacy and movement
building Lisa Woods) said was of grave concern to Amnesty
International.
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Palestine Solidarity Network
Aotearoa’s Co-chair, John Minto says Keown’s statements
contradict assurances made by senior police when a PSNA
delegation met with them two weeks ago in Wellington to
discuss increasing attacks on Palestine solidarity
supporters by IDF soldiers and other elements of the
pro-Israel lobby.
“At the meeting police
specifically told our delegation these ‘move-on’ orders
would NOT be used to restrict protest
rights.”
“So, there is a mass of confusion around
over the proposed new law.”
“We need the Justice
Minister to use clear wording, when he introduces
legislation into Parliament, that anyone exercising their
rights under the Bill of Rights Act will not be
included.”
“We already have many laws which were
introduced for a particular purpose, but which have been
used to restrict the right to protest – for example
trespass orders and ‘unlawful assembly’ provisions under
the Crimes Act,” Minto says.
“New Zealanders
rights to free speech and right to protest in public are
under attack. Last year police and the Independent Police
Conduct Authority colluded to propose legislation which
would have required police permission to organise a
protest”
“Authoritarian regimes the world over are
putting heavy restriction on the right to protest. Many of
them claim to be democracies. It’s important we resist
jack-boot policing
here.”
