Silencing critics

The Free Speech Coalition has called on the police and the Human Rights Commission to remind politicians that they can’t misuse false complaints to the police to suppress criticism, following reports that a Rotorua mayoral candidate had sought police intervention after a political opponent compared her to the Pied Piper on Facebook. “The New Zealand Bill of Rights clearly states that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form,” coalition spokesman Dr David Cumin said. “Calling for police intervention seems to be a serious attempt to intimidate. It diverts police from real crime. Politicians who won’t meet argument with argument, and instead ask the state to punish critics, are not fit to hold power.” The issue was a great example of how ‘hate speech’ laws would really be used, he said.