I don’t know why Kate Hawkesby is so surprised at the special treatment given to the Mongrel Mob gang recently at Te Mata Peak. When you look at it through the rainbow prism of identity politics a gang is just another special minority group. Quote.
Kate Hawkesby: How dare police allow the Mongrel Mob to take over Te Mata Peak
Why are we so intimidated by gangs in this country? When did we start thinking they have more important rights than the general public?
I see that police are defending their decision to close a public road so that a Mongrel Mob ceremony could take place.
So a road that’s available to everyone – a public road – closed off for a gang. End quote.
It’s because they are special Kate and they have rights. Yes, their rights clash with the majority’s rights but it would be “racist” and Gangaphobic to insist that they follow the same law as everyone else. No one wants to offend these gangs of peace. They might get upset and hurt somebody. quote.
This was the Te Mata Peak summit road in Hawke’s Bay, a popular tourist spot and thoroughfare.
Police cited ‘public safety’ as the reason they closed the road – they reckon they didn’t want too many cars creating a hazard. But wouldn’t there have been no risk of hazards had a gang not decided to conduct a ceremony there?
We don’t know what kind of ceremony attracted the large number of Mongrel Mob to congregate, but word is it was a patching or welcoming ceremony for new recruits.
Tourists, prevented form getting up the peak due to the ceremony, were understandably shocked.
Imagine it: Welcome to New Zealand, feel free to enjoy our vistas and wide public spaces – just not if a gang wants to use them, sorry. If a gang’s up there you’ll just have to naff off.
Some tourists said they were intimidated by the gang members’ presence. end quote.
Dear oh dear, those tourists really ought to check their privilege and learn some patience. Our wide open spaces are there for everyone… after the Mongrel Mob have finished using them of course. quote.
[…] Police are defending their decision by saying it’s a public place, and it’s not illegal to gather in a public place.
But a Hastings District councillor pointed out that “if any other group or organisation wanted to use both the road access and the summit car park, they would have had to seek prior approval from the council, which would also require public notification”. None of which happened.
So how did the gang ride roughshod over the rules, and in doing so, get supported by police?[…] Are gang patching ceremonies, or whatever it was, now more important than free public access to public spaces? end quote.
A newspaper
In the UK there have been many similar incidents. One that I saw on Youtube concerned the rules for a public park. The police refused to apply the park rules to the special identity group even though a member of the public pointed out that the rules were being broken and that she felt intimidated by the presence of the group.
With this case in New Zealand, we can only wonder if it was identity politics or intimidation that led the police to allow the gang to ignore the council rules. Whatever it was it is a very bad look and a terrible precedent to set.