Tensions run high amid anti-trans conference, but police say no arrests

Saturday, 18 May 2024

Hundreds of LGBTQA+ protesters gathered outside Te Papa on Saturday.

Tensions ran high in Wellington on Saturday as queer protesters gathered against an anti-trans conference where speakers included Destiny’s Brian Tamaki and British activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull.

Keen-Minshull, also known by her stage name Posie Parker, was forced to flee NZ after a riotous counter-protest against her in March last year, and attended via video call.

Protesters gathered against a ‘gender indoctrination’ event where speakers included Destiny’s Brian Tamaki and British activist Posie Parker.

Group Inflection Point New Zealand scheduled the conference at the Tākina convention centre, with a stated aim of stopping the Government from gender indoctrination and radicalising children.

The group’s booking of the conference centre caused controversy among queer activists and members of Wellington City Council, with councillor Nīkau Wi Neera calling the event “hateful” on social media site Reddit, and saying it was “utterly unwelcome” in the capital.

On Saturday, as the conference took place in central Wellington, queer protesters gathered to voice their opposition to its message.

A protester holds a rainbow flag outside the Tākina convention centre.

The gathering was flagged after Tamaki referenced mayor Tory Whanau in a speech that mentioned beheading and the term “kill ‘em”. The comments related to a legal challenge to rainbow crossings.

The protest, held outside Te Papa near the front entrance to Tākina, was organised by activist groups Queer Endurance in Defiance Pōneke and Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition.

Queer Endurance in Defiance had stated on Facebook the event was to be a “peaceful counter-demonstration to the hateful rhetoric being spewed inside of Tākina”.

While there was no violence, there was a strong odour of sewage on Cable St around midday, and reports suggested a person had dropped something resembling a stink bomb.

A protester holds a large sign with the words “Why so obsessed with our genitals?”

A police spokesperson said no arrests had been made outside the convention centre on Saturday.

Security guards outside the Tākina convention centre as the Inflection Point summit took place.

Queer Endurance in Defiance Pōneke organiser Tristan Cordelia said she and other protesters wanted to counter some of the “lies” told about them.

“We’re not very happy about the fact that they are meeting to spread lies about us. We just want to be ourselves. We’re not trying to convert anyone - Lord knows it’s really hard being trans, although its wonderful when you are part of the trans community, because we look after one another and love one another - but it’s hard.”

“If you’re going to spread hatred about us, we’re going to show up across the road. We’re here to love one another, to celebrate ourselves and to be ourselves. That’s what this is.”

Cordelia said it could be scary when facing “so much hatred”, but one way to cope with it was to dance, so protesters played ABBA and danced outside Te Papa together at the event.

The Michael Fowler Centre was lit up in trans-inclusive colours on Saturday, with Wellington mayor Tory Whanau saying she was “extremely concerned” the event would be harmful to the capital’s trans and queer community.

Brian Tamaki was approached for comment.