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Police monitoring anti co-governance meeting

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 12 Apr 2023, 3:12pm
Police were at a Stop Co-Governance meeting hosted by Julian Batchelor at the Orewa Community Centre in Orewa, on March 18. Photo / Supplied
Police were at a Stop Co-Governance meeting hosted by Julian Batchelor at the Orewa Community Centre in Orewa, on March 18. Photo / Supplied

Police monitoring anti co-governance meeting

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Wed, 12 Apr 2023, 3:12pm

Auckland police are monitoring a controversial 鈥淪top Go-governance鈥 meeting in Kingsland this evening after previous events sparked anger and protests.

The event is part of a roadshow organised by Northland evangelist and New Zealand First member Julian Batchelor.

He set out on a听听tour with 42 meetings planned through to July, which purport to be aimed at stopping co-governance.

Batchelor鈥檚 definition of co-governance doesn鈥檛 appear to line up with any government plans, instead putting forth what he describes as a 鈥渃oup鈥 of New Zealand by those he described as 鈥渆lite M膩ori鈥.

He compares the idea to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

鈥淩ight now, it feels like we are living in an occupied country,鈥

鈥淲e only have one chance. If Labour wins the next election, New Zealand as a nation is finished.鈥

Police have been present at several meetings around the country.

Officers were forced to separate protesters from attendees during a heated听听held at the council-owned 艑rewa Community Centre on March 18.

Protester Mikaela Matenga (T奴hourangi, T奴wharetoa, Rongowhakaata, Te Arawa) told the听贬别谤补濒诲听she could sense the fear and volatility in the crowd.

鈥淚 think that that鈥檚 the saddest thing, I guess from my standing point is that they鈥檝e been given all this misinformation about co-governance,鈥 she told the听贬别谤补濒诲.

Three police keep the peace at a gathering of 150 people - half of who turned up to protest at the Dargaville roadshow on March 9.

Police were also on standby - but not present - for the meeting in Kerikeri on March 12 which also hosted about 150 people, about a quarter of whom attended to object to Batchelor鈥檚 views

These protests and public pressure have resulted in several venues cancelling Batchelor鈥檚 events.

Last month, Auckland Council听听a planned event at Mt Eden鈥檚 War Memorial Hall.

The roadshow is also having trouble booking听.

The Ruakaka Recreation Centre cancelled the scheduled March 20 event, while the Wellsford RSA was more straightforward, replying to questions about the booking with a simply put, 鈥渃ancelled.鈥

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