Latest news with #JohnMinto
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Government Told NZ Should Not Follow Australia's Lead To Criminalise Support For Palestine
14 July 2025 Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa is urging the New Zealand government NOT to follow Australia's example with measures which would effectively criminalise the Palestine solidarity movement. The Australian government has announced plans to implement recommendations from its anti-semitism envoy which PSNA says creates a 'hierarchy of racism' with anti-semitism at the top, while Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism hardly feature. However we know at least some of the appalling anti-semitic attacks in Sydney have been bogus. PSNA Co-chair John Minto says PSNA has no tolerance for anti-semitism in Aotearoa New Zealand, or anywhere else. 'But equally there should be no place for any other kind of racism, such as Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism. Our government must speak out against all forms of discrimination and support all communities when racism rears its ugly head. Let's not forget the murderous attacks on the Christchurch mosques.' Minto says the Australian measures will inevitably be used to criminalise the Palestinian solidarity movement across Australia. 'We see it happening in the US, to attack and demonise support for Palestinian human rights by the Trump administration. We see it orchestrated in the UK to shut down any speech which Prime Minister Starmer and the Israeli government don't like.' PSNA agrees with the Jewish Council of Australia who have warned the Australian government adopting these measures could result in 'undermining Australia's democratic freedoms, inflaming community divisions, and entrenching selective approaches to racism that serve political agendas' Minto says the free speech restrictions in the US, UK and Australia have nothing to do with what people usually understand as anti-semitism. 'The drive comes from the Israeli government. They see making anti-semitism charges as the most effective means of preventing anyone publicly pointing to the genocide its armed forces are perpetrating in Gaza.' 'The definition of anti-semitism, usually inserted into codes of ethics or legislation, is from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. The IHRA definition includes eleven examples. Seven of the examples are about criticising Israel.' 'It's quite clear the Israeli campaign is to distract the community from Israel's horrendous war crimes, such as the round-the-clock mass killing and mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza, and deflect calls for sanctions against Israel.' 'Already we can see in both the UK and US, that people have been arrested for saying things about Israel which would not have been declared illegal if they'd said it about other countries, including their own.' Minto says there are already worrying signs that the New Zealand government and New Zealand media and police are falling into the trap. 'Just over the past few weeks, there has been an unusually wide-ranging mainstream media focus on anti-semitism; At least one opinion piece in the Stuff newspapers from NZ Jewish Council spokesperson Ben Kepes on anti-semitism here A major interview in Stuff on anti-semitism with NZJC spokesperson Ben Kepes A New Zealand Herald opinion piece from NZJC spokesperson Juliet Moses A New Zealand Herald podcast featuring Holocaust Foundation spokesperson Deborah Hart. The Holocaust Foundation is partly funded by the Israeli Embassy. An enthusiastic 1News item on the latest appeal to the government to adopt similar measures here to those taken in Australia (TVNZ One News 13 July 2025) Stories highlighting anti-semitic graffiti in Wellington – numerous reports along these lines Stuff newspapers highlighting the case of an assault on a visiting Israeli after an altercation in Christchurch with the accused held overnight, denied bail and the police claiming it was a 'hate crime' However, our politicians and media have been silent about; An attack which knocked a young Palestinian woman to the ground when she was using a microphone to speak during an Auckland march An attack where a Palestine supporter was kicked and knocked to the pavement outside the Israeli embassy in Wellington. The accused was wearing an Israeli flag. He was not held in custody and the Post newspaper has reported neither the arrest nor the resulting charge (this case is due in court 15 July) An attack on a Palestine solidarity marshal in Christchurch who was punched in the face, in front of police, but no action taken. An attack in Christchurch when a Destiny Church member kicked a solidarity marshal in the chest (no action taken by police) Anti-Palestinian racist attacks on the home of a Palestine solidarity activist in New Plymouth. One of our supporters has had their front fence spraypainted twice with pro-Israel graffiti and their car tyres slashed twice (4 tyres in total) and had vile defamatory material circulated in their neighbourhood. (The police say they cannot help) The frequent condemnation of anti-semitism by the previous Chief Human Rights Commissioner, but his refusal to condemn the deep-seated anti-Palestinian racism of the New Zealand Jewish Council and Israel Institute of New Zealand. The refusal of the Human Rights Commission to publicly correct false statements it published in the Post newspaper which claimed anti-semitism was increasing, when in fact the evidence it was using was that the rate of incidents had declined. Minto says in each of the cases above there would have been far more attention from politicians, the police and the media had the victims been Israeli supporters. 'Meanwhile, both our government and the New Zealand Jewish Council have refused to condemn Israel's blatant war crimes. There is silence on the mass killing, mass starvation and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in Gaza. The Jewish Council and our government stand together and refuse to hold Israel's racist apartheid regime to account in just about any way.' 'This refusal to condemn what genocide scholars, including several Israeli genocide academics, have labelled as a 'text-book case of genocide', brings shame on both the New Zealand Jewish Council and the New Zealand government.' 'Adding to the clear perception of appalling bias on the part of our government, both the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, have met with New Zealand Jewish Council spokespeople over the war in Gaza.' 'But both have refused to meet with representatives of Palestinian New Zealanders, or the huge number of Jewish supporters of the Palestine solidarity movement.' 'New Zealand must stand up and be counted against genocide wherever it appears and no matter who the victims are.'
Scoop
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Expel The Israeli Ambassador Now
PSNA is calling on the government to immediately expel the Israeli ambassador from New Zealand. PSNA Co-Chair, John Minto says Israel's strikes on Iran are 'unprovoked, unilateral and a massive threat to humanity everywhere.' 'This is such a dangerous action, that diplomatic weasel words about Israel are not acceptable. Israel is an out-of-control rogue state playing with the future of humanity. We must send it the strongest possible message.' 'Israel's using its often repeated lies and misinformation to attempt to justify it's unconscionable violence and aggression.' Minto points to Iran's right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. 'Even US intelligence officials have made is clear very recently that Iran is NOT on the way to produce a nuclear weapon.' 'And neither is Iran committed to the 'annihilation' of Israel. Iran does not support Israel as a racist, apartheid state and wants to see liberation for Palestine. In this, Iran has, along with the overwhelming majority of countries in the world, called for an end to Israel's military occupation of Palestine, the end of its apartheid policies directed against Palestinians and the return of Palestinian refugees.' New Zealand has the same policies. Minto says our government must shoulder some of the blame for Israel feeling it can safely launch attacks on Iran. 'Appeasement of this apartheid state, as our government and other western countries have done over 20 months, has led Israel to believe it can get away within mass murder forced expulsions and managed starvation in Gaza, so that whatever it does it will be never be held to account' 'Only sanctions count – and just the first one must be the expulsion of the Israel ambassador with only giving him enough time to pack his bags.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Another Unlawful Arrest According To IPCA: Pattern Of Police Abusing Powers Continues
The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) has once again condemned Police for unlawfully arresting a protestor. The 2024 arrest of pro-Palestinian protester John Minto is yet another example in a pattern of Police abusing power to suppress speech and protest rights, says Jonathan Ayling, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union. 'John Minto was pepper-sprayed and arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest in February last year. The IPCA's investigation has determined both these actions were unlawful. The report also suggests the IPCA simply do not believe aspects of the account of the officer in question. 'A culture that tolerates police lying is a threat to us all. Including the Police. The years of advocacy the Free Speech Union has led should be met with stronger funding for the IPCA to ensure they are able to respond to officers who abuse the power they are trusted with. 'The Free Speech Union currently has a case before the High Court, suing Police for wrongful arrest in the case of Lucy Rogers, which the IPCA also determined was unlawful. This subsequent decision compounds the need for scrutiny of Police actions and policy. 'This report follows a larger report earlier in the year reviewing a series of unlawful decisions at protests where the IPCA determined Police consistently failed to balance public order with fundamental liberties. 'As Minto himself said, 'It was a deliberate targeting of myself. If people are blocking the road in a civil disobedience protest they can expect to be arrested and charged but they should not be assaulted and pepper-sprayed. And if they are on the footpath as I was, they should be left alone.' 'The ability to speak freely, to counter-protest, and to robustly debate pressing issues is fundamental to democracy. This is a core part of what Police are tasked with defending. This litany of failures needs political action.'
Otago Daily Times
12-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Veteran activist John Minto unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested
John Minto was charged with obstructing and resisting police during a protest in Lyttelton on Waitangi Day 2024. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon Police unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested veteran activist John Minto at a pro-Palestinian protest in Christchurch in February 2024, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found. The 70-year-old was charged with obstructing and resisting police during a Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa protest in Lyttelton on Waitangi Day, though charges were later dropped. A police investigation concluded their actions were lawful, but that the officer had failed in his duty "to provide aftercare" after pepper-spraying Minto. But the IPCA has found both the pepper-spraying and the arrest itself were unlawful. In a letter from IPCA chair Judge Kenneth Johnston KC, he stated the authority found "a number of inconsistencies" between the account of the officer and video footage of the incident, which "led us to doubt the genuineness" of the officer's version of why he had used the pepper-spray. The IPCA did "not accept" the police version that Minto had moved from where he was standing, or that the officer could have perceived Minto presented a real threat. Johnston said the IPCA considered whether there was sufficient evidence for police to charge the officer with assault, but could not rule out the officer pleading self defence. Instead, it asked police to "consider an employment process" for the officer involved. The IPCA report said Minto was arrested for obstructing the arrest of another protester behind the officer who pepper-sprayed him, half an hour after that arrest and by a different officer. But Johnston said there was "no case for obstruction", and no grounds to suspect Minto had hindered the arrest of the other protester, "or indeed showed any intention of doing so". "Our view is that you were standing lawfully on the footpath both prior and during the other protester's arrest. The evidence does not show you advancing past where you were originally standing after being pushed by the officer who pepper sprayed you, and that you were not paying any attention to the arrest." Police were approached for comment, but said they had only just been made aware of the ruling and would need more time to respond.
Otago Daily Times
12-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Veteran Chch activist unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested at protest
John Minto was charged with obstructing and resisting police during a protest in Lyttelton on Waitangi Day 2024. Photo: RNZ / Pretoria Gordon Police unlawfully pepper-sprayed and arrested veteran activist John Minto at a pro-Palestinian protest in Christchurch in February 2024, the Independent Police Conduct Authority has found. The 70-year-old was charged with obstructing and resisting police during a Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa protest in Lyttelton on Waitangi Day, though charges were later dropped. A police investigation concluded their actions were lawful, but that the officer had failed in his duty "to provide aftercare" after pepper-spraying Minto. But the IPCA has found both the pepper-spraying and the arrest itself were unlawful. In a letter from IPCA chair Judge Kenneth Johnston KC, he stated the authority found "a number of inconsistencies" between the account of the officer and video footage of the incident, which "led us to doubt the genuineness" of the officer's version of why he had used the pepper-spray. The IPCA did "not accept" the police version that Minto had moved from where he was standing, or that the officer could have perceived Minto presented a real threat. Johnston said the IPCA considered whether there was sufficient evidence for police to charge the officer with assault, but could not rule out the officer pleading self defence. Instead, it asked police to "consider an employment process" for the officer involved. The IPCA report said Minto was arrested for obstructing the arrest of another protester behind the officer who pepper-sprayed him, half an hour after that arrest and by a different officer. But Johnston said there was "no case for obstruction", and no grounds to suspect Minto had hindered the arrest of the other protester, "or indeed showed any intention of doing so". "Our view is that you were standing lawfully on the footpath both prior and during the other protester's arrest. The evidence does not show you advancing past where you were originally standing after being pushed by the officer who pepper sprayed you, and that you were not paying any attention to the arrest." Police were approached for comment, but said they had only just been made aware of the ruling and would need more time to respond.
