Strong opposition to planned armed police units

Saturday, 2 November 2019

A public rally has been held at Manukau Square in a bid to stop armed police patrols.

Protesters have turned out in numbers to oppose the trial of a new armed police unit, with signs reading 'Brown communities are not shooting ranges' and 'armed cops are killer cops'.

A six-month-pilot of armed police patrols was launched on October 28 in response to the Christchurch terror attacks and escalating gang violence.

Manukau Square in south Auckland was packed with protesters on Saturday with concerns that minority groups would be unfairly targeted by the new initiative.

Citizens turned out to protest a new armed police trial in south Auckland.

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said she worried for the safety of her teenage boys.

Some resident are concerned arming police may lead to minority groups being targeted.

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Many posters featured sentiment implying police in New Zealand had a problem with racism.

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'When we arm the police it is Māori, Pacific, poor and disabled people who bear the brunt of the violence. These people will be targeted,' she said.

The rally was organised by the activist group People Against Prisons.

The armed police patrol trial was launched on October 28 in Counties Manukau, Waikato and Canterbury.

Spokeswoman Emmy Rākete said the policy was no way to addresss inequality properly.

Auckland councillor Efeso Collins, who has been a long opponent of arming police officers, was also in attendance.

'This city is scared of people like me. If you are Māori or a Pacific Islander you are far more likely to be have dogs set on you,' he said.

'These armed response teams are not there to protect us, they are to put Māori and Pacific people in jail.'

The armed police response team trials have been rolled out in Counties Manukau, Canterbury and Hamilton.

Police deputy commissioner John Tims said he was aware some people had concerns about the project.

'In the last six months, 1354 events involving firearms were recorded. Forty per cent of those events resulted in firearms being seized – a total of 1206 firearms were seized, recovered and surrendered,' he said.

'Armed response teams will provide ongoing reassurance and guidance to our frontline staff on how to manage incidents involving firearms.'