Anti-vax protesters heckle Holocaust remembrance speech
Friday, 28 January 2022
Christchurch’s Holocaust remembrance ceremony organisers want a public apology from anti-vaccine protesters whose “appalling behaviour” manipulated the event into their own agenda.
A crowd of about 50 rowdy protesters refusing to wear masks heckled speakers, drove away several invited attendees, and prompted police to attend the event at the Peace Bell in the Botanic Gardens on Thursday night.
Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chairwoman Deb Hart said she was “disgusted” they thought it was appropriate to manipulate what was an “otherwise beautiful and poignant” event commemorating the six million Jewish people murdered by the Nazis during World War II.
Survivors and their families were among the attendees.
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The free event acknowledged the United Nations International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and other camps.
Hart said it had the complete support of the Christchurch Jewish community, apart from a small vocal minority of anti-vaccination campaigners.
“The protesters refused to wear masks and were held back by police.”
Labour MP Sarah Pallett's speech, which was interrupted by hecklers, was “personal and considered”, Hart said.
“As spokespeople at Holocaust Remembrance events around the world have done in the past 24 hours, she was calling out the misuse of references to the Holocaust by the anti-vaccination movement.
“This Holocaust distortion is abhorrent and trivialises the events of the Holocaust.”
A video seen by Stuff of Pallett’s speech showed shouting erupt nearby when she spoke about the anti-vax movement's use of references to the Holocaust.
”We have seen that hideous yellow star misappropriated and worn by small groups of people who haven’t experienced a day of real oppression in their lives.
“This attitude is utterly inaccurate, profoundly offensive, and it should be challenged loudly at every opportunity,” she told attendees.
Pallett told Stuff while she understands people's right to protest, it was unfortunate to have an anti-vax crowd attend this year’s Holocaust ceremony, which she was invited to speak at.
“It was upsetting that the Holocaust Remembrance Day event was disrupted in this way. It’s an important occasion and one I am personally respectful of.”
A police spokeswoman said officers attended the vaccine-only event after some people without vaccine passes were “unhappy they couldn’t go in”.
Those people were spoken to, but no arrests were made.