George Floyd protests in New Zealand

Last updated

George Floyd protests in New Zealand
Part of George Floyd protests
Date1 June 2020 – 14 June 2020
Location
New Zealand
Caused by
George Floyd protests in New Zealand
Cities in New Zealand in which a protest with about 100 or more participants was held ('"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000008-QINU`"''"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000009-QINU`"')

Shortly after protests seeking justice for George Floyd, an African-American who was murdered during a police arrest, began in the United States, people in New Zealand protested to show support for similar protests in the United States and to demonstrate against perceived issues with police brutality and structural discrimination in New Zealand. Vigils and protests of thousands of participants took place in June 2020 throughout the nation.

Contents

Background

The George Floyd protests sparked a strong response among New Zealanders, in particular among the indigenous Māori people who activists say face structural discrimination similarly to African Americans in the United States. [1] In the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shootings, the police conducted a trial of equipping normally unarmed police officers with firearms. The trial ended in April 2020 without incidents of officers discharging their weapon. [1]

Reactions

Several prominent Māori and other Polynesian figures including Taika Waititi and Parris Goebel expressed solidarity with George Floyd. [2]

Political

Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern has stated that she was "horrified" by the situation around the murder of George Floyd. Ardern had been criticised by local Black Lives Matter solidarity protesters for remaining silent about Floyd's murder for a week. [3] [4] Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand politicians James Shaw and Marama Davidson both stated they believed US President Donald Trump was racist when asked by press gallery journalist about his inflammatory tweets. Todd Muller declined to answer the question. [5]

In a letter, Davidson requested that police commissioner Andrew Coster end the testing of armed officers. She also called for Coster to acknowledge New Zealand's challenges with racism and discrimination. [5] On 9 June, Coster announced that the New Zealand Police would be scrapping their armed response teams after public feedback and consultation with community forum groups. [6] [7] [8] However, just a day after Coster announced the Armed Response Teams would be axed, he floated the idea of arming the police with sponge bullets instead. Emilie Rākete, a spokesperson for the Arms Down campaign, responded by saying that sponge bullets are extremely dangerous, and will be used against Māori more than any other group if they are rolled out. [9]

On 1 June, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters criticised protesters in Auckland for violating the New Zealand Government's COVID-19 regulations regarding limited social gatherings. [2]

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman stated, "The disease of state-based discrimination is not constrained to American borders. We must acknowledge that here in New Zealand, at every single step of the justice system, Māori face increased discrimination. This means that Māori experience more arrests, more prosecutions, longer jail sentences, more brutality, and deaths, than Pākehā in similar circumstances." [1]

Civil society

The removal of Captain Hamilton's statue drew considerable media attention. Statue of Captain Hamilton, NZ.png
The removal of Captain Hamilton's statue drew considerable media attention.

On 9 June 2020, the Akaroa –based bar and restaurant "Bully Hayes Restaurant" announced that it would be changing its name after several historians including Scott Hamilton criticised its namesake William "Bully" Hayes' involvement in blackbirding in the Pacific during the late 19th century. [10] [11]

On 10 June, Marist College in Auckland attracted publicity after teachers reportedly tore down Black Lives Matter posters. Students organised a nine minutes silence for George Floyd and started an online petition to highlight racial issues at the college, alleging that several teachers had been racist towards students. [12] [13] In response, Prime Minister Ardern voiced support for the students' activism. In addition, a formal complaint was lodged against Marist College. [14] On 16 June, 30 students staged a peaceful protest against alleged "systematic racism" at the college. [15]

On 12 June, the North Island city of Hamilton removed a statue of British Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton at the request of local Māori iwi Waikato Tainui. Captain Hamilton was controversial among Māori for his role at the Battle of Gate Pā during the New Zealand Wars. The statue's removal has been linked to calls for the removal of statues of figures associated with colonialism and racism in New Zealand and the world, which had been precipitated by the murder of George Floyd. [16] [17] In response, the Māori Party's co-leader and Te Tai Hauāuru candidate Debbie Ngarewa-Packer called on the Government to establish an inquiry to identify and remove what she regarded as racist monuments, statues and names associated with New Zealand's colonial era. [17] [18] The Marlborough District's Deputy Mayor Nadine Taylor has also called for the renaming of Picton due to his controversial governorship of Trinidad. Calls to remove statues were opposed by Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and National Party Member of Parliament Simeon Brown, who described them as a "wave of wokeism" and "erasing history." [19]

On 13 June, a statue of Captain James Cook in the North Island town of Gisborne was vandalised with graffiti promoting Black and Māori rights and swastikas. [20] On 15 June, the leasehold upstairs venue to Dunedin's Captain Cook Hotel announced that it would be changing its name in response to both Captain James Cook's controversial legacy among Māori and the Black Lives Matter protests sparked by George Floyd's murder. [21] [22] The building and downstairs restaurant will keep its name. [23]

In addition, statues of Queen Victoria and Scottish poet Robert Burns were targeted by protesters in Dunedin in mid-June due to the former's association with British colonialism and the latter's alleged complicity in slavery. [24] On 18 June, it was reported that the Rangitikei District Council had covered up a statue of Captain Cook in Marton pending a decision about its future in response to the public debate around colonial era statues, monuments, and place names. [25]

Calls to remove monuments to controversial colonial figures also triggered a call by LifeNet charity director Brendan Malone to remove a monument to Māori chief and Ngāti Toa military leader Te Rauparaha in Ōtaki since had enslaved, tortured, and eaten members of rival Māori tribes. In response, Victoria University of Wellington historian Dr Arini Loader and former Labour Party candidate Shane Te Pou disputed Malone's attempts to draw a moral equivalence with colonial figures such as Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton, arguing that Te Rauparaha had supported a local church and that other iwi including Rauparaha's former victims recognised his historical importance. [26]

Organisations

Arms Down NZ stated that they saw a parallel in the plight of African Americans and the indigenous communities in New Zealand in regards to police brutality and racism. [1]

Demonstrations

June 14 Black Lives Matter protest in Auckland June 14 Auckland Black Lives Matter protest.jpg
June 14 Black Lives Matter protest in Auckland
One of the placards in Kirikiriroa highlighted the proportions of black populations relative to prison populations Rally at start of BLM Unity March in Hamilton.jpg
One of the placards in Kirikiriroa highlighted the proportions of black populations relative to prison populations

1 June

[28] [29] The Auckland event was organised by several African New Zealanders including Mahlete Tekeste, African-American expatriate Kainee Simone, sportsperson Israel Adesanya, and musician Mazbou Q. Speakers linked the issues faced by African Americans to those faced by Māori and Pasifika peoples in New Zealand. [30] The American flag in front of the consulate general appeared to have been removed prior to the protest. [31] Protesters had signs including "Be kind", "Silence is Betrayal", and "Do Better, Be Better". Participants in this protest were in violation of social distancing protocols in place for the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand which limits gatherings to fewer than 100 people. [2] Protesters performed a haka. [1] A primary school teacher named Ethan Aloiai who wore a "Make America Great Again" hat had his hat seized and burned by protesters. Despite public interest, the Teaching Council declined to pursue disciplinary action against Aloiai. [32] [33]

13 June

14 June

Related Research Articles

The Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against indigenous Māori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand. Founded by a group of young Polynesians on 16 June 1971, the Panthers worked to aid in community betterment through activism and protest. Besides peaceful protests, they helped provide education, legal aid, and other social resources, such as ESOL classes and youth community programs. The group was explicitly influenced by the American Black Panther Party, particularly Huey Newton’s policy of black unity through his global call-to-action, as well as his ideology of intercommunalism. The movement galvanised widespread support during the Dawn Raids of the 1970s, and greatly helped contribute to the modern pan-Polynesian ethnic identity in New Zealand called Pasifika.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter</span> Social movement originating in the US

Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a decentralized political and social movement that aims to highlight racism, discrimination, and racial inequality experienced by black people and to promote anti-racism. Its primary concerns are police brutality and racially motivated violence against black people. The movement began in response to the killings of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Rekia Boyd, among others. BLM and its related organizations typically advocate for various policy changes related to black liberation and criminal justice reform. While there are specific organizations that label themselves "Black Lives Matter", such as the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, the overall movement is a decentralized network with no formal hierarchy. As of 2021, there are about 40 chapters in the United States and Canada. The slogan "Black Lives Matter" itself has not been trademarked by any group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests</span> 2020–2023 police brutality protests

The George Floyd protests were a series of protests and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as reactions to the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed African American man, by city police during an arrest. They spread nationally and internationally. Veteran officer Derek Chauvin was recorded as kneeling on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds; Floyd complained of not being able to breathe, but three other officers looked on and prevented passersby from intervening. Chauvin and the other three officers involved were later arrested. In April 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. In June 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22+1⁄2 years in prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Oregon</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

This is a list of George Floyd protests in the U.S. state of Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Virginia</span> Protests in Virginia caused by the murder of George Floyd

This is a list of George Floyd protests in Virginia. Following the murder of George Floyd by a police officer, protests spread from Minneapolis to other parts of the United States, including Virginia. Protests broke out in Richmond on the night of May 28 and spread to over 50 other cities over the following days.

This is a list of protests in New York following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

This is a list of George Floyd protests in Connecticut, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in New Jersey</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

Following the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020, protests erupted around the nation and world. Dozens of protests, several involving thousands of protesters have been held in New Jersey. Unlike in other areas of the country, protests have been mainly peaceful. This is attributed to relatively good community-police relations, memories of the race riots of 1967, and activist leadership maintaining focus on systemic racism. After protests in Trenton and Atlantic City grew violent on May 31, curfews were set for the first time. Residents of Atlantic City helped clean up damage after the protests turned destructive.

This is a list of protests in New Mexico related to the murder of George Floyd.

Individuals and organizations throughout the United States and the world responded to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and riots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom</span> 2020 anti-racism protests in the UK

Protests were held across the United Kingdom following the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, by a police officer in the United States on 25 May 2020. Immediately following his murder, protests and riots occurred in dozens of cities across the United States. Protests were staged internationally for the first time on 28 May, with a solidarity demonstration outside the United States Embassy in London. They took place during the UK COVID-19 pandemic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Canada</span> 2020 protests in Canada against police brutality

Shortly after protests seeking justice for George Floyd, an African-American who was accidentally killed during a police arrest, began in the United States, people in Canada protested to show solidarity with Americans and to demonstrate against issues with police or racism in Canada. Vigils and protests of up to thousands of participants took place in all 10 provinces and all 3 territories of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Australia</span> Anti-racism protests in Australia

Shortly after protests began in the United States in late May 2020 seeking justice for George Floyd, an African-American who was murdered during an arrest by Minneapolis police, people in Australia protested to show solidarity with Americans and the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as to demonstrate against issues with police brutality and institutional racism, racism in Australia, and Aboriginal deaths in custody. Vigils and protests of thousands of participants took place nationwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Tennessee</span> 2020 civil unrest after the murder of George Floyd

The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, triggered a wave of protests throughout Tennessee in late May and early June 2020. These protests continued throughout the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Belgium</span> Protests in Belgium inspired by George Floyd

Shortly after protests seeking justice for George Floyd, an African-American who was murdered during a police arrest, began in the United States, some people in Belgium protested to show solidarity with Americans protestors and to demonstrate against issues with police or racism. Vigils and protests of up to thousands of participants took place nationwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Statue of John Fane Charles Hamilton</span> Statue formerly installed in Hamilton, New Zealand

A bronze statue of Captain John Fane Charles Hamilton was installed for seven years, in Hamilton, New Zealand, from in 2013 until removal in June 2020. The settlement of Hamilton was named after Captain Hamilton, a Royal Navy officer who was killed in action during the Battle of Gate Pā.

There were several COVID-19 protests in New Zealand held during the period of COVID-19 restrictions from 2020 to 2022, where people protested the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, in particular the lockdown measures in place in March–May 2020, August 2020, and August–November 2021 and the later vaccine mandates. The protests have been largely condemned by members of parliament, as well as local city and regional councils. Fears were also raised about the protests increasing the spread of the virus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Lives Matter art in Portland, Oregon</span> Public art in Portland, Oregon related to the Black Lives Matter movement

Many artworks related to the Black Lives Matter movement were created in Portland, Oregon, United States, during local protests over the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans. Oregon Arts Watch contextualized the artistic works, stating that a "whitewashed pre-COVID lens" on American life, which obscured systemic racism, had been "cracked", and describing artists' response to racial violence being brought into the public eye was a "marathon, not a sprint".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand</span>

The COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand has had far-reaching consequences on the country that went beyond the spread of the disease itself and efforts to eliminate it, including education, faith communities, Māori, mass gatherings, sports, recreation, and travel. In addition, there were several recorded cases of lockdown violations, leaks, and misinformation about the COVID-19 virus and vaccines.

References

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  32. ↑ "George Floyd death: MAGA hat burns at Auckland protest". New Zealand Herald . 3 June 2020. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
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