Turning up at someone's house in the evening, or as the Prime Minister said to Mike this morning, at 11 at night or 4 in the morning is not protesting. That's actually just intimidating.
Particularly, I think, in the case of Winston, who I know has been actually dealing with this for a number of months.
Now, I don't think he's actually gone public yet. Even when I asked him, I don't think he's gone public with the extent of the harassment that he's been dealing with - and it was probably because he didn't want to encourage it to continue.
But I have been aware for months that this has been going on outside his house.
What makes it worse is that like with many heritage suburbs in central Auckland, Winston's house is right on the roadside.
He doesn't have a yard out the front between him and the protesters. He doesn't have a long driveway between him and them.
If you stand outside his house, you're basically touching his porch and his front door is about 1.5 to 2 metres away. I think that makes the intimidation even greater.
And what these protesters need to understand is that they're not drawing attention to Gaza by harassing a senior politician - just like with the flotilla kids, right? Because they're not drawing attention to Gaza.
They are only drawing attention to themselves and getting us talking - not about Gaza, but about whether the thing that they are doing as their protest or their activism is appropriate. They're simply drawing attention to themselves.
Now, there is a planned law to stop this business about the protesting outside people's houses. It's in the submissions phase, so it hasn't passed yet and it's a while away from passing
Which means, of course, that in the meantime these protesters can pretty much do what they like by the looks of things.
But what they should understand is that it is inappropriate and most New Zealanders with families will look at this and think this is inappropriate, and so all they're doing is risking goodwill towards their cause.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show HERE - where this article was sourced.
9 comments:
Maybe 'these' hacks, even the old ones, have got so comfortable with being unanswerable to the constituents, after an election-that protest is one of the few options?
It is called public disturbance and that is an arrestable offence.
This just bl**dy outrageous, Heather !!
The government should provide full time guard to STOP this vandalism.
This is great news. I hope the accued gets jail.
If Winston was home and confronted the dude with the crowbar he could have been injured or worse.
Person arrested after Winston Peters’ Auckland home attacked with crowbar
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/person-arrested-after-winston-peters-auckland-home-attacked-with-crowbar/VX6XEVWJ6BH3LCS6YDU6HSAPMI/
I concur Chuck ! Anything less than a custodial sentence I would see as totally inadequate.
Furthermore, I hope he shares a cell with a 'deviant' "Bubba";-)
Most of them are mentally ill and are radicalised online and/or used by left politicians for their various marxist causes. If you ask them why they are protesting, they all have different answers or don't know.
Right on Sam.
Sorry, Soulaki, but if they appear in a Court, their Defence Lawyer is likely to advise the Judge - " That my client suffers from Depression, has ADHD & PTSD, has a recurring mental health issue, is suffering from just having their benefit cut, was raised in a house that had no love from parents".
And if/when sentence will no doubt have that sentence reduced under the NZ Criminal Justice % Law that allows the Judge to reduce a sentence.
Next protest will be at Luxon's Auckland Home - if arrested, well go back and read the opening statement.
In these enlightened times, the defence lawyer will say to the woke judge-'it's tikanga judge-stand down, back off!!!'
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