Tamaki hits back at protest critics
Road users riled by delays branded as selfish and arrogant
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has hit back at critics of an antigovernment protest on Saturday, calling complainers “angry, selfentitled ********* ”.
Hundreds gathered at the Auckland Domain for the protest, organised by Tamaki and the Freedom and Rights Coalition, before walking on to the Southern Motorway at about 11.30am.
All southbound lanes were closed by police as the protesters made their way from the Khyber Pass on-ramp to Market Rd, causing major traffic disruptions.
The group’s reasons for the protest included the cost of living, hospital understaffing, overworked GPS, Three Waters legislation and underresourced first responders.
Many motorists were frustrated with the disruption but Tamaki has hit back at critics.
“A one-hour delay and interruption in their lives turns them into angry, self-entitled ********* . A protest is meant to be disruptive, visible and has a right to happen. The last two years of misery and chaos this Government has put us through is nothing compared to the two hour inconvenience to traffic!” he said in a Facebook post.
He maintained “New Zealanders have lived so long in privilege and comfort” and that the people against him were arrogant and selfish, with no care for anything but “their money, pleasures and narcissist uninterrupted small lives”.
Also in his Facebook rant, Tamaki said “the nasty, vile, negative and personal slandering that lies in the underbelly of this nation has made us the 2nd Worst Place to live in, out of 50 other countries that were canvassed in a recent poll”.
Auckland Central Area Commander Inspector Graeme Anderson said police had begun prosecuting those involved in the protest. “This will involve reviewing information and evidence to identify those involved in offending, including entering the motorway system on foot and other alleged driving-related offences.” “At this time we have not arrested and charged or summoned anyone in relation to [the] protest activity.”
In January, Tamaki was arrested for breaching bail conditions and spent nine days in Mt Eden Corrections Facility. Before that, he was charged three times over attending Auckland Domain lockdown protests.