Ethnic community groups call on government to toughen hate speech laws
Photo:
RNZ
Three ethnic community groups are calling on the government to toughen hate crime laws following a
Destiny Church rally
over the weekend.
On Saturday Church followers marched down Auckland's Queen Street on Saturday against "foreign religions", with leader Brian Tamaki saying the church was building a "Commonwealth crusade" to "reclaim Christian nations".
A number of flags were also set on fire but were put out before firefighters arrived.
Following the event the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, the Combined Sikh Association of NZ and the New Zealand Buddhist Council have spoken out against the event.
They have called for the expedition of a law commission review which was looking at whether there were problems with New Zealand's hate crime laws.
The groups also wanted funding for education programmes which promoted multiculturalism and respect for all communities.
Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand advocacy chairperson Abdur Razzaq.
Photo:
RNZ/Jessie Curran
Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand advocacy chairperson Abdur Razzaq told
Morning Report
the event over the weekend went "too far".
"The threatening behaviour and the statements he made about terrorists and so forth, these are most becoming of a person who is of faith as he claims to be."
Razzaq said the protest was not peaceful and that New Zealand needed to have tolerance of others.
He said there needed to be some legislative framework for faith communities to have protection.
Photo:
RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Ethnic Communities Minister Mark Mitchell has said he was
"appalled" by the Destiny Church event
.
Mitchell told
Morning Report
that the law commission had work underway with regard to hate crimes.
He said that he worked very closely with ethnic community leaders to make sure communities were looked after in New Zealand.
He said sometimes protests were highly offensive but free speech could also be used to condemn them too.
Brian Tamaki was approached for comment.
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