8 hours ago
Destiny Church protesters set flags on fire in Auckland rally
Protesters at a Destiny Church rally in Auckland, 21 June 2025.
Photo:
RNZ
Fire and Emergency crews have been called to a Destiny Church march in downtown Auckland after flags were set on fire.
Hundreds have marched from Aotea Square down Queen Street in what the church billed as a rally "in defence of faith, flag and family".
At one point flags - which an RNZ reporter said appeared to include rainbow flags and flags representing mainstream media - were set alight.
Rally goers then put the flames out with water and arriving fire crews then left without taking action.
During the march, people chanted "no immigration without assimilation".
Destiny Church said the march was to take "a bold public stand for Christian values, Kiwi identity and the future of this nation".
Church leader Brian Tamaki claimed "uncontrolled immigration" in the United Kingdom had led to spikes in crime and a collapse in British identity.
Tamaki said the church was building a "Commonwealth crusade" to "reclaim Christina nations".
Protesters and counter-protesters at a Destiny Church rally in Auckland, 21 June 2025.
Photo:
RNZ
The Destiny marchers were met by about 20 counterprotestors waving tino rangatiratanga and Palestine flags.
A large number of Police were also in attendance.
Ahead of the march, Tamaki said church leaders had sent an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon calling for a reversal on a position that the country has no official religion.
He said a demand included enforcing a "no immigration without assimilation" policy.
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