Gangs Bill: Why a new move banning gang patches in a private home is causing an uproar
- The Gangs Bill is expected to pass its third reading this week, including a controversial clause that was added at the eleventh hour without any public consultation.
- The clause concerns those who repeatedly break the ban on gang patches in public. After a third infringement, they won’t be allowed to possess anything with a gang patch or live in a house that has anything with a patch on it – even if it isn’t theirs.
- The “gang insignia prohibition order” will last for five years, and breaching it could lead to a year in jail. Cabinet approved it despite warnings that it restricts basic rights, has no evidence it will be effective, and risks giving police too much search power.
They secretly added these new search powers AFTER submissions had closed so no one could review them FFS!
Look, we all want to take down organised crime, but seeing as 80% of gang members were abused in State Care, you can’t pretend the best way to clamp down on Gang membership is by not abusing kids in State Care in the first place!
Allowing Cops endless search warrants to invade your home to ensure a gang insignia isn’t being displayed in a. private residence is such an insane over reach in power you can’t claim it’s even rational!
REMEMBER, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump for the Police to determine that protestors and activists are a gang and that their flag is a gang insignia, we are seeing in the UK as climate change activism becomes more radical that the State is using draconian responses…
…if you think these vast expanses of police power at the cost of our collective human rights won’t impact you, you are deeply mistaken.
When the State gains powers as extreme as this, they are never constrained to the most dangerous examples being used to gain your compliance, they are used against us all.
We all want safer communities, we all want less organised crime and we all want less gang intimidation, but allowing Police endless search warrants for your private home because you might have a banned gang patch is such. goose step too far, it has to be blunted now.
Don’t allow the spiders to spook us into giving them more unchecked powers.
Increasingly having independent opinion in a mainstream media environment which mostly echo one another has become more important than ever, so if you value having an independent voice – please donate here.
Don’t think for a second that the blue bellies will not use these excessive powers if granted. They will, from CoC political pressure–and because they now have extra resources and time due to limiting their involvement in mental health call outs and involvement. It is planned for November, but it is already in action in my part of the country–Far North.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/526608/police-unveil-plan-to-reduce-attendance-at-mental-health-call-outs
Being busted for a pro Palestinian scarf or flag, Sea Shepherd shirt or Green Peace shirt, Union shirt & emblems, are all likely on the agenda.
Where are all the free speech wankers and libertarians now? Anyone that genuinely understands and supports freedom of association, speech and assembly should be opposing the “snatch a patch” bill. Martyn’s thesis of a difference between 501s and local Mangu Kaha and MMM has some relevance but in the end this targeting must be halted.
I see it is ok to wear a swasticker or a KKK emblem now .They are not covered under the legislation because they are white gangs .I would expect the hells angels will be exempt as well as they are a white gang .
Embittered youths who join organizations that give them access to peer respect and status a problem?
Just ban the visible symbols of their membership.
Problem sorted. No more crime now.
Have to wear their regalia in members only meetings now (like the Freemasons).
(Actually my dad often wore two gang patches – RSA badge and Greerton Lawn Bowls Club AND my uncle had his Rotary badge).
Where are the published articles about the RSA or Lawn Bowls Club being involved in pushing drugs and prostitution and even murder.
You need to provide a cogent response to Luxon’s assertion that 20% of all crime in NZ is done by less than 1/2% of the population, that is, the gangs.
Comments are closed.