Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson knocked over by motorcyclist

Saturday, 25 March 2023

Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson was knocked to the ground by a motorcyclist as she walked to the trans rights protest in Auckland.

In a statement, co-leader James Shaw said Davidson was knocked to the ground by a motorcyclist who failed to stop at a pedestrian crossing.

“The incident has been reported to police and Marama is seeing a doctor,” Shaw said.

The party would not make further comment.

A police spokesperson said enquiries were being made “into a collision between a motorcycle and a pedestrian near Albert Park”. They said an ambulance hadn’t been required, but medical advice had been sought.

Thousands of people attended the protest against controversial activist Kellie-Jay Keen, also known as Posie Parker, at Auckland’s Albert Park on Saturday.

The crowds, mainly consisting of trans rights supporters, booed at Parker as she was escorted from the park without having the opportunity to address her supporters like she had planned.

A second event organised by Vision New Zealand and Destiny Church leader Hannah Tāmaki took place at nearby Aotea Square.

The group of about 350 people were protesting the alleged “sexualisation of our children in schools” and was attended by Destiny Church-associated motorcyclists.

The group of around 40 motorcyclists, led by Brian Tāmaki, passed Albert Park towards Aotea Square, revving their engines and yelling at the trans rights supporters.

Green Party chief of staff Robin Campbell did not know whether the motorcyclist who hit Davidson was a member of the Destiny Church biker group, but confirmed they were with a “big group” of motorcyclists.

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman told Stuff earlier that she believed a group of bikers were “acting in a threatening way”.

Correction: Previous versions of this story said Davidson was struck during and after the protest.