A Sikh parade in South Auckland was disrupted on Saturday by a group of ‘Patriot’ protesters doing haka. They were linked to political leader Brian Tamaki’s Destiny Church, a Christian fundamentalist religious group. The demonstration took place on Great South Road, where police were forced to separate the protesters and parade participants to ensure no one was hurt if things escalated, reports the NZ Herald.In a video posted to Tamaki’s social media, the group True Patriots of NZ can be seen confronting the Sikh parade as it moved along the street. The group described themselves as “Guardians of the Kiwi Way of Life. Defenders of Faith, Flag & Family,” which opposes “globalism, mass immigration, and woke ideology.” The protesters were wearing blue shirts with slogans such as “Kiwis first,” “Keep NZ, NZ,” and “True Patriot.” They also displayed a large banner which said “This is New Zealand not India.” They performed a haka and linked arms, chanting “One true God,” “Jesus,” and “God of nation,” while being held apart from the Sikh group by police.Inspector Matt Hoyes said about 50 protesters blocked the road at around 2pm, attempting to disrupt the parade. “Police acted swiftly to ensure the parade was able to safely continue and additional officers were called in to escort the parade participants through the remainder of their route,” he said. Officers remained in the area until the parade concluded to make the Sikh community feel safe.Inspector Hoyes said protesting is a right, but it should not threaten public safety: “NZ Police recognises the lawful right to protest, however we will not tolerate actions that threaten public safety or intimidate others exercising their lawful rights.”In a caption accompanying the video, Tamaki said, “THIS IS OUR LAND. THIS IS OUR STAND. Today, True Patriots stood their ground in South Auckland. No violence. No riots. Just my young men performing a haka…face-to-face…to send a clear message: KEEP NZ, NZ.” The demonstration comes amid heightened police presence at religious and community sites following the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney, Australia, earlier this month, which left 16 people dead during a Jewish Hanukkah festival. The identified suspects were a father and son duo named Sajid Akram (50) and Naveed Akram (24). Police said the attack was inspired by Islamic State (ISIS) ideology and targeted the Jewish community. It was later confirmed that Sajid Akram was born in Hyderabad, India and later migrated to Australia in 1998.Tamaki previously took to social media after the attack to claim that “multiculturalism is ruining Australia.”
