OPINION
Mark Freeman
An estimated 2,000 or more people took part in the Abandon Agenda 2030 protest march and rallies in Wellington on Thursday.
The event was timed to coincide with the United Nations Association of New Zealand’s one-day conference Advancing Agenda 2030. However, in an overblown reaction due to ‘security fears’, the UN organisers made the conference online-only. Also, police reinforcements were sent to the capital, and government workers were advised to work from home. But, as expected, the protest event proceeded peacefully and without incident.
As with protests led by Brian Tamaki’s Freedom and Rights Coalition in the last few years, the event was smoothly and professionally run. It started with a rally in Civic Square, addressed by a number of speakers and featuring an original song of freedom.
Next was a march through central Wellington. Speakers shouted anti-globalist messages and chants through loud hailers to enthuse the crowd.
But when the rally at Parliament started, the focus of the messaging was somewhat unexpected. Very little was said about Agenda 2030 or the conference, which was supposedly the theme of the protest.
Instead, for the vast majority of the time the speakers, who were all candidates from Mr Tamaki’s Freedoms New Zealand political umbrella party, talked about how Freedoms NZ could take back our country.
In essence, the event at Parliament was a good old-fashioned political party rally. Perhaps some of the protesters had expected that, since we’re just over two weeks out from what many are calling the most important election in our lifetime. But it left at least a few people disappointed, with one person saying she won’t be going to any more rallies organised by TFRC.
