Brian Tamaki’s Wellington protest - Hundreds gather on Parliament’s front lawn
Hundreds have joined Brian Tamaki for a rally in support of Israel on the front lawn of Parliament.
The Destiny Church leader and his wife Hannah held the demonstration in Wellington, calling on the government to stand with Israel following the October 7 attack by Palestine militant group Hamas.
Pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside the Supreme Court to hold a counter-protest but dispersed before Tamaki got up to speak.
Tamaki and his following sung both the Israeli and New Zealand national anthems before presenting a petition to Parliament and performing a haka.
Act MP Simon Court accepted the petition and thanked Tamaki for bringing it to him.
Tamaki praised Act and David Seymour specifically for being on “the right side of history”. Court told Tamaki the Jewish community appreciates what he is doing, and for standing up for them.
STORY CONTINUES AFTER THE LIVE BLOG
Vera Alves
This concludes our coverage of today's protests in Wellington. Please check nzherald.co.nz for further news updates on this and other topics. Have a great afternoon!
Crowd performs haka at pro-Israel protest
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Video / Vita Molyneux
Anti-semitism has gone 'through the roof', Act MP tells the crowd
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Act MP Simon Court speaking now.
“Thank you bishop Brian. It is the duty of parliament to accept all petitions not just from those who voted for them," he tells Tamaki.
The Act MP goes on to say that "anti semitism has gone through the roof in the last two months".
"I have heard of Jewish school children being bullied and afraid because of their faith," Court says.
Brian Tamaki's message to Israel PM
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Brian Tamaki sends a message to the Prime Minister of Israel in his speech to the crowd in Wellington:
“I hope in some way this gets to you, and I appreciate having time on Israeli television," Tamaki said.
"They tell me I’m a bit of a star over there. But I hate war. I am opposed to it, but war is a reality and it happens. Everyone calls for peace and I pray for it but there will be no peace in this world and Israel has to accept Jesus Christ as its messiah.”
Brian Tamaki says he is a "spiritual Jew"
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“We will do this for as long as required," Brian Tamaki says.
“I thought last time I was here at the protest, I thought it was the last time. But as long as there are injustices and people's voices aren’t heard we will be here.”
Tamaki says he’s not from natural Israel but is a “spiritual Jew”.
He has sent his congratulations to the new government, adding that “for the first time in many years, our government is going in the right direction".
"We don’t want a government that will oppress us , and strip us of our freedoms.”
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Brian Tamaki is now calling for the Israeli flag to be flown from Government and the Auckland harbour bridge.
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A lone counter protester has appeared at the back or the crowd and has been escorted out.
Brian Tamaki addresses crowd at the protest
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Brian Tamaki is currently addressing the crowd at the protest.
“I’m proud to stand here today on the right side of history," he says.
“The head of the snake must be cut off.”
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“When I see the signs that say free Gaza they really mean free Gaza from Hamas - and Israel will do that,” Pastor Nigel Woodley said.
“Israel’s right to defend itself includes the right to wage war until there is an unconditional surrender."
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"It is two months today since the horrific barbaric savage attack by terrorist who are nothing like freedom fighters. They are terrorists on a level where we have not seen anything like it since the Holocaust," Pastor Nigel Woodley said.
"We today bring back the word of Jesus to this place,” he continued.
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Pastor Nigel Woodley is speaking at the protest now.
“Israel is in the right, the others are in the wrong and Israel has the right to defend itself until Hamas is gone,” he said.
“It takes strength for a government to do the right thing. To call for a ceasefire today is premature."
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The couple singing the Israeli anthem flanked by Tamaki supporters wearing Man Up shirts.
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The crowd at Parliament listening to the Israeli anthem being sung.
Brian Tamaki presents petition to Act MP Simon Court
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Brian Tamaki presents the petition to Act MP Simon Court, who is wearing an Israeli pin on his lapel.
Brian Tamaki hands petition to Act MP Simon Court
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Brian Tamaki has presented his petition to Act MP Simon Court in front of Parliament. Court was wearing an Israeli pin on his lapel.
Tamaki praised Act and David Seymour specifically for being on “the right side of history”.
Court told Tamaki the Jewish community really appreciates what he is doing, and for standing up for the them.
Protesters are now singing the NZ national anthem.
Brian and Hannah Tamaki pose together at the protest
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The counter protesters have mostly dissipated.
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On the counter protesters just across the road, Brian Tamaki said he hadn’t seen them but it was their right to protest.
Brian Tamaki says call for ceasefire in Gaza 'too premature'
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Brian Tamaki has told media at the protest that it’s too premature for a ceasefire until Israel “completely eliminates and exterminates Hamas”.
He then went on to say that he is "against anyone being hurt".
“I am against anyone being hurt, the world's at war, New Zealand is at war with itself - I’m against it," he said.
'I’m not going to blame Palestine' - Hannah Tamaki
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“In war there are casualties in war but I don’t think using innocent people as human shields is the way forward," Hannah Tamaki tells people at the protest.
“Bring the hostages back, all of the hostages back," she adds.
“I’m not going to blame Palestine for what’s happening, it’s Hamas.”
Brian and Hannah Tamaki have arrived at Parliament
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Brian Tamaki is currently talking to other protesters in the crowd.
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Destiny Church's Hannah Tamaki pictured at the pro-Israel protest organised by her husband Brian Tamaki.
Bus load of pro-Israel protesters arrives at Parliament grounds
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A bus carrying several dozen Israel supporters has just pulled up, boosting the protest numbers.
There are currently around 200 people on the lawns of Parliament.
Some are carrying signs reading “we stand with Israel” and “blame the terrorists not Israel”. Others are waving large Israel flags.
Loud chanting, beeping and cheers from the counter protest can still be heard over the buzz of the gathering pro-Israel crowd.
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Counter protesters now chanting “free free Palestine”.
Green MP Teanau Tuiono is present at the counter protest.
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Wellington motorists tooting in support of Palestine.
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At the moment, the pro-Palestine counter protest is significantly larger than Brian Tamaki's pro-Israel protest, with at least 150 people outside the Supreme Court.
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The sound of motorists tooting in support of Palestine can be heard from Parliament where pro-Israel protesters are continuing to gather.
Pro-Palestine counter protesters call for ceasefire
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"There aren’t two sides to genocide,” one of the protesters is chanting.
Pro-Palestine counter protesters gather outside Supreme Court
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A group of pro-Palestine counter protesters have gathered outside the Supreme Court.
One is carrying a sign which says “toot for Gaza” and traffic is periodically beeping in support.
Crowd begins to gather for Brian Tamaki's pro-Israel protest
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A small crowd has gathered on the lawns of Parliament, with a few of them carrying the Israel flag.
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A handful of people wearing Man Up branded shirts are milling about on the forecourt, and a PA has been brought into the grounds.
Police arrive to Parliament ahead of Brian Tamaki's protest
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Police have begun to file into Parliament ahead of Brian Tamaki’s pro-Israel protest.
Two protests in Wellington today, pro-Israel and pro-Palestine
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Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki will hold a protest on the lawns of Parliament from 12.30pm today, calling for the Government to stand with Israel following the October 7 attack by Palestine militant group Hamas.
A counter-protest has also been planned by the Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition, which will begin at 12pm outside the Supreme Court.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters to call for ceasefire in Gaza today in Parliament
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Earlier today, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced h will be calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in Parliament today.
He will also “unequivocally condemn” the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October and call for the release of all hostages.
You can read the full report below.
Vera Alves
Kia ora, New Zealand. We will be covering the protests live.
Stay tuned for live updates from our reporters on the ground in Wellington.
STORY CONTINUES
The pro-Palestinian Hope Not Hate rally, organised by the Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition, was held outside the Supreme Court on the corner of Lambton Quay and Whitmore St at midday, with music and speeches offering support for Palestine.
Both protests have coincided with the Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s graduation parade, which began at 1pm. A spokesperson for the university said they are in “close touch” with police and security in regards to the protests.
“Our security team has a comprehensive plan to ensure a successful parade for our graduates.”
Following Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel, in which at least 1200 people were killed, Israel’s allies have defended the country’s right to protect itself. But now into the third month of the war, there are growing differences over how Israel should conduct its fight.
More than 11,070 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and minors, have been killed since the war began, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths. About 2700 people have been reported missing and are thought to be possibly trapped or dead under the rubble of destroyed buildings.
What are people protesting in Wellington?
It follows a pro-Palestine rally which was held on Monday in Wellington, after another nationwide protest organised by Te Pāti Māori, which was in response to the Act Party’s bid to redefine Treaty principles, the planned scrapping of the Māori Health Authority, Oranga Tamariki policies and the repealing of smokefree laws.
The protest also follows an incident on Monday where several schools in Wellington were locked down after the discovery of suspicious packages outside the Israeli and United States embassies in Wellington.
A police spokesperson confirmed they were alerted to the first package outside the US Embassy on Fitzherbert Tce at 1.40pm and a second outside the Israeli Embassy on Brandon St at 1.50pm. Stuff has reported it understands a fake baby covered in blood was left outside the Israeli Embassy.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy could not confirm any details of what the package was.
What to know about today’s Wellington protest
Key details for this afternoon’s protest action:
Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.