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MEDIA RELEASE:
Crowd fund campaign launched to force Auckland Council to respect rights to free speech. A crowd funding campaign has been launched to raise money to bring judicial review proceedings against Phil Goff and Auckland Council for their banning of speakers Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern at Council-owned venues. A 'Free Speech Coalition' will collect funds for the legal action, and return them if the fundraising target is not met. The Coalition has been advised that the cost of engaging lawyers and proceeding with urgent legal action will be approximately $50,000. New Zealanders who value free speech can pledge money to this cause at www.freespeechcoalition.nz. With a few emails over the weekend, a dozen donors have already pledged nearly $5,000. This positive response has given the Coalition the confidence to open the campaign to the general public. A supporter of the Coalition, Melissa Derby, says, "Standing up for free speech means standing up for speech you and I may personally find repugnant. We do not endorse these particular speakers' views, but the general principle that people should be able to share, and be exposed to, controversial ideas." "Banning a pair of populists that together have over a million Youtube subscribers sets an extraordinary low bar for state censorship."" "Council facilities, paid for by the general public, should operate as common carriers for people of all political views. They should not discriminate based on the personal views of politicians, nor should their use be subject to the whims of those who would threaten violent protest." Chris Trotter, who is also supporting the effort, says, "We accept the case for blocking genuine hate speech, such as incitements of violence or other illegal activity. But curbing free debate under threat of disruption is neither desirable nor acceptable in a free and democratic society. Truth is not afraid of trigger-words. Truth does not need a safe space. Truth is not a snowflake. Truth can take the heat and most certainly should not be forced to vacate the kitchen in the face of a couple of Alt-Right populists and a politically-correct Mayor." Supporters of the group include:
Mayor Phil Goff has opened Auckland Council up to judicial review, as it is likely breaching the Bill of Rights Act (freedom of speech), and potentially the Human Rights Act (freedom from discrimination on the basis of political opinion). The Council is subject to both Acts. This is an all or nothing campaign. If the $50,000 is not raised by 5pm Friday, then all funds will be returned to donors, and the Coalition will not proceed with further action. The Coalition's intention is, firstly, to force Auckland Council to reopen the Bruce Mason Centre to these speakers by August 3, the date that had been scheduled for the event. Secondly, and most importantly, we aim to set a precedent demonstrating that government bodies will face firm legal consequences if they breach the rights to freedom of speech and freedom from political discrimination that are laid out in law. Donations can be made at www.freespeechcoalition.nz, or to the following bank account: Free Speech Coalition 01-0527-0680196-00 ENDS Enquiries: Melissa Derby 021 296 4606 Chris Trotter 021 144 7203
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By Lindsay Perigo [Republished with permission from Solopassion.com] "Alt Right" (whatever that is) YouTubers Stefan Molyneux and Lauren Southern have just been effectively banned from entering New Zealand thanks to Phascist Phil, Mayor of Auckland, and sundry Islamophascists: An 'alt right' speaking event planned to be held in Auckland has been cancelled by the venue operators. That comes as Mayor Phil Goff sent a clear message that the pair are not welcome at Auckland Council venues. "I just think we've got no obligation at all - in a city that's multicultural, inclusive, embraces people of all faiths and ethnicities - to provide a venue for hate speech by people that want to abuse and insult others, either their faith or their ethnicity," Mr Goff told Newshub. "These individuals who want to incite hatred against others are, in my view, not welcome here," he said. He tweeted a similar message. Auckland Live, which runs the Bruce Mason Centre where the event was scheduled to take place, said the event was cancelled due to "security concerns" around the "health and safety" of the presenters, staff and patrons of the event. That comes after Auckland Peace Action (APA) called on the Government to not allow the speakers entry to New Zealand. "We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community in Aotearoa who are opposing these fascists. If they come here, we will confront them on the streets. If they come, we will blockade entry to their speaking venue," APA member Valerie Morse said. "It is imperative that this type of racism is given no room to be promoted and encouraged in Aotearoa." Canadian Lauren Southern was banned from entering the United Kingdom after displaying flyers reading "Allah is a Gay God" and "Allah is trans". She claims the flyers were part of a stunt proving Islam is homophobic. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home... Let's just get a few things straight here. First, the only "fascists" in this equation are Mayor Phil and the IslamoMarxists of Auckland Peace Action (note the Orwellian nature of the misnomer: "Peace" = Violence). APA are the Brownshirts threatening violent disruption of this event. Phil the Phascist has weighed in on their behalf, on the ludicrous grounds that Molyneux and Lauren were about to purvey "hate speech" in our beloved "Aotearoa." (Yawn!) Goebbels Goff, who once held hands with Yasser Arafat, clearly knows that if you repeat a lie often enough ("hate speech"), people will eventually come to believe it. The "hate" here comes from Islam, which executes gays, subjugates women and stones adulterers. Second, even if Stefan and Lauren were coming to utter "hate speech" ... so what?! Article 14 of our Bill of Rights says: Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form. Third, why is "hatred" of evil banned while active promotion of it is encouraged in the name of "diversity" (another Orwellian misnomer: "Diversity" = Social Justice Warrior Groupthink)? Fourth, Auckland Live, in capitulating to Phascist Phil and Auckland Islamophascists, are cowards and traitors, every bit as contemptible as they. I say again, here's what must happen in response to the relentless war on free speech being waged by our Thought Police, the Fascists of the Left: 1) Salman Rushdie’s famous dictum, “There is no such thing as a right not to be offended” must be emblazoned across the sky. 2) So too must “I disapprove of what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it.” The counter to bad ideas is good ideas, and the free exchange thereof. 3) Dame Susan must be abolished—i.e., the office of Race Relations Commissar must be disestablished. 4) Article 14 of our Bill of Rights must be declared inviolate: Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form. 4a) Article 4 of our Bill Of Rights, saying any part of it can be overridden by other legislation (such as the Human Rights Act), must be repealed. 5) The Human Rights Act must be repealed. New Zealand is becoming New Zealistan. The above is an action plan to avoid such a catastrophe. Please, freedom-lovers, do your bit. At minimum, tweet Phascist Phil: https://twitter.com/phil_goff |
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