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Sikh Parade heckled in New Zealand by Christian group: 'This is not India'
In a video shared online, the group - True Patriots of NZ - are seen confronting the Sikh group in South Auckland.
A Sikh parade in New Zealand was disrupted and heckled by a Christian group on Saturday. As per a report by NZ Herald, the group which confronted the parade performed the 'haka' and was linked to political leader Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church, a Christian fundamentalist religious group.
In a video shared online, the group - True Patriots of NZ - are seen confronting the Sikh group in South Auckland, with police officials in the middle of both the groups.
The video also shows that Christian group wearing blue shirts with slogans such as Kiwis first”, “Keep NZ, NZ” and “True patriot”, all while holding a large banner which read - “This is New Zealand not India.”
The video was also shared by Brian Tamaki, whose church the group is linked to, with the caption - "THIS IS OUR LAND. THIS IS OUR STAND."
"Kiwis will not be silent while foreign religions flood in. We will stand…peacefully, proudly, unapologetically…for our land, for our faith and our Kiwi way of life," he wrote further, adding that this is "only the beginning."
Citing Inspector Matt Hoyes, the NZ Herald reported that around 50 public blocked the road at 2 PM on Saturday afternoon to disrupt the scheduled parade by members of the Auckland Sikh community.
"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," Hoyes told the New Zealand daily.
“NZ Police recognises the lawful right to protest,” he said, adding, “however we will not tolerate actions that threaten public safety or intimidate others exercising their lawful rights.”
Sikh Community responds
In response to the disruption, the New Zealand Sikh Youth issued a statement condemning the confrontation despite all necessary permits receive for the parade.
"The local Manurewa Sikh community gathered together for a scheduled nagar kirtan with all necessary permits. A nagar kirtan is a parade in which Sikhs lead a cultural procession through the local area. In addition, free food is often distributed to onlookers, as sharing is a fundamental Sikh value," read the statement, further confirming the confrontation.
"The group engaged in chanting and performed a haka, a Māori war dance rooted in mythology—actions that stand in stark contrast to the peaceful nature of the Sikh religious event," the statement added further.
