Protesters prepare for ‘another Ihuma¯tao’ in BOP
Dozens of gang members, activists, lawyers and politicians have descended on waterfront properties at Maketu in the Bay of Plenty, vowing to stop the eviction of the Mongrel Mob owner.
Portaloos were being trucked on to the site yesterday afternoon and those present were preparing for the long haul, saying it could become ‘‘another Ihuma¯tao’’.
Vision NZ leader Hannah Tamaki, her husband Brian, of Destiny Church, activist Tame Iti and actor Manu Bennett were among visitors to the site.
Three adjoining properties belonging to Mongrel Mob member Valentine ‘‘Pop’’ Nicholas have been seized by the Crown under proceeds of crime legislation. An eviction notice gave Nicholas until yesterday to leave. But he and his supporters say it’s inherited land and they won’t move.
Police said they were aware of the situation but were not on the scene.
A spokesperson for the Official Assignee confirmed there was a High Court forfeiture order and moves were being taken to sell the properties at 631, 633 and 634 Maketu Rd.
Nicholas has been fighting the forfeiture through the courts for several years. He was found not guilty on charges of supplying cannabis in 2015, but police used the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act to seize properties and assets worth more than $1 million.
Nicholas told Stuff it was a family issue, not a Mongrel Mob one. His brother, Willie Nicholas, said the family didn’t want the dispute to be seen as gangrelated. ‘‘Pop could have had a couple of hundred gangsters here if he’d wanted, but he doesn’t want that.’’
Hannah Tamaki, who is standing in the Waiariki electorate in the General Election, said ‘‘an injustice has been initiated here.
‘‘It’s family land. Of course it’s a prime, beautiful position . . . I think they [the Crown] want to make an example of this so they can continue to do it – but Ma¯ori are no longer going to allow this to happen. They’re going to occupy and if it’s like Ihuma¯tao, then so be it.’’
Awha¯nau member posted on Facebook that it was an ‘‘illegal confiscation of whenua Ma¯ori’’. Nicholas had tried to have the land transferred intoMa¯ori title under the Treaty of Waitangi.