Marie Loretta
In March 2019 when New Zealand was reeling from the horror of the mosque terror attack, Jacinda Ardern won the world over, proclaiming emotionally that “They were New Zealanders. They are us.”
New Zealand agreed. We are a nation fiercely proud of our diversity, our independent spirit, but also firm in our loyalty to each other. We are made up of many, that form a strong whole.
Fast forward to 9 November 2021 when a group of 3000 New Zealanders assembled at Civic Square and marched to Parliament grounds. The crowd swelled to an estimated 15,000 protesters who spilled out of Parliament into the surrounding streets.
In her press release of 9 November 2021 Jacinda Ardern discounted this crowd, saying, “What we saw today was not representative of the vast bulk of New Zealanders.”
What has changed in this time? When did New Zealanders go from being “us” to not representing us?
Jacinda Ardern has long built an image synonymous with “Be Kind”. Yet this same leader is ready to discount one of the largest protest crowds in New Zealand history as non-representative.
According to the PM they are not us:
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