Anti-trans activist, protesters likely to collide
Strong police presence expected at weekend rallies
Crowds of protesters are expected to show up to a rally in Auckland today featuring controversial British antitrans activist Kellie-Jay KeenMinshull.
A last-minute bid in the High Court to stop Keen-Minshull, who calls herself a women’s rights activist, from coming to New Zealand failed yesterday. She touched down in the city last night where two security guards were waiting at the terminal for her arrival.
Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, told reporters that today’s event at Albert Park as part of her Let Women Speak tour would give women “who feel gaslit by the state [the ability] to speak about the rights they are losing”.
She expected trans’ rights activists would be present and claimed “men [trans women] would come out. They’ve already threatened to be aggressive”, she said.
Asked if she felt safe, KeenMinshull said New Zealand was “insane”.
She did not know why neo-Nazis would attend her rallies, she said.
Keen-Minshull has been widely criticised by the LGBTQ+ community, politicians, and other social commentators for her assertion people could not change their sex.
She has also been criticised over the attendance of neo-Nazis throwing salutes in support of her rhetoric at a recent rally in Melbourne. She earlier told the Herald she and her ideas were not associated with Nazism.
Her rallies elsewhere have attracted strong opposition from trans rights activists, who have often outnumbered her supporters. KeenMinshull’s views have been called vitriolic and dangerous.
Protests have been arranged for both the Auckland and Wellington Let Women Speak events.
A Wellington security firm pulled out ahead of her Civic Square rally tomorrow, leaving Keen-Minshull facing a $10,000 bill to hire a replacement. The activist said her Australian tour had been dogged by last-minute cancellations from companies, including security and sound system operators.
“A company in Wellington just refused, just won’t protect us.”
She blamed the situation on being badly defamed because “most people really hate women”.
She also revealed in a lengthy YouTube address the need for half a dozen minders for the New Zealand leg of her tour. Rainbow community groups Gender Minorities Aotearoa, InsideOUT Koa¯ra and Auckland Pride jointly filed a judicial review application on Thursday seeking an interim order to prevent KeenMinshull’s arrival.
After a two-hour hearing in the High Court at Wellington yesterday , which heard from the coalition of rainbow groups, Crown Law and intervenors the New Zealand Free Speech Union, High Court Justice David Gendall declined the application.
Immigration New Zealand (INZ) announced earlier this week, after a review of whether Keen-Minshull should be allowed in, that she did not meet the high threshold to be considered an excluded person under Section 16 of the Immigration Act 2009.
The INZ assessment took into account the events in Melbourne, where her speaking event drew a crowd, including people who were seen giving Nazi salutes and shouting slurs, Minister for Immigration Michael Wood said earlier this week.
“Like many New Zealanders I would prefer it if Kellie-Jay KeenMinshull never set foot in New Zealand. I find many of her views repugnant, and am concerned by the way in which she courts some of the most vile people and groups around, including white supremacists,” he said.
“As we look towards her events for this coming weekend, the welfare and safety of our transgender community is front of mind. Event organisers maintain the primary responsibility to ensure they run a safe and secure event and police have advised they will also be in attendance to ensure public safety.
“I condemn her inflammatory, vile and incorrect worldviews and will always stand alongside those New Zealanders who use their own right to free speech against those who wish to take society backwards.”
In dismissing the application, Justice Gendall said he had sympathy for the applicants.
“My sympathy for the applicants’ position is grounded largely in the information provided by the applicants and the Crown, which to my eye, appears to clearly raise issues of public order.
“This is a finely balanced decision. I accept the applicants have indeed raised a possible case upon which it might be said to be arguable that no reasonable minister could have concluded that Section 16 of the Immigration Act is not to be invoked.”