Protest | Mautohe

Laws around protest in Aotearoa

In New Zealand, you have the right to protest because of a few important freedoms that are protected by law:

1. Freedom of Association: This means you have the right to group together and organise things with other people. For example, you can join clubs or groups at school or in your community.

2. Freedom of Peaceful Assembly: This means you can gather together with others to protest or support something you care about, as long as it’s peaceful. Think of it like joining a peaceful march or rally to support a cause you believe in.

3. Freedom of Expression: This means you have the right to speak up and share your opinions. Whether it's talking about your favorite book or saying what you think about a new rule at school, you have the right to express your thoughts.

These freedoms make sure you can join with others, protest peacefully, and speak out about what matters to you.

Resent Protests

In this video, Members of Parliament (MPs) are performing a haka inside Parliament. They did this to show they didn’t agree with a new law that was being discussed. The haka is a powerful Māori tradition used to express strong feelings. The MPs used it as a way to protest and show their disagreement. 

Agree or Disagree

Your teacher will make some statements If you agree, raise your hand. If you disagree, keep your hand down. After each one, we’ll talk about why people felt that way. It’s OK to have different opinions, but we must be kind and respectful when we share.

• “Protests should always be peaceful.”

• “It’s OK to protest by doing a haka.”

• “It’s wrong to shout or fight during a protest.”

• “It’s OK to protest if people are being treated unfairly because of their race or skin colour.”

• “Protests should always follow the rules”

• “Using signs, music, or art (like haka) can be a good way to protest.”

• “Some protests make people feel uncomfortable, but that doesn’t always mean they are wrong.”

The Dawn Raids & Polynesian Panthers

Dawn Raid - Huakitanga Atapō

But it doesn't happen anymore... right?!

Unfortunately as recently as 2025, people have been targeted and removed from their homes or workplaces because they were believed to be living in the country illegally. This sometimes happens when the government is under pressure to manage jobs or the economy, and when people start sharing the idea that immigrants are taking jobs away from others.

Impact on Polynesian People

Polynesian people were facing some horrific racism in New Zealand right from the early days.  An example of this is on 31 May 1870, an article in the Evening Post shows the racist attitudes towards Pacific Islanders, Chinese and Māori:

Bad as the Chinese are, the South Sea savages are worse, and any extensive importation of them would have … a most pernicious effect, even were the country solely occupied by Europeans; but, when we consider what a large native population of our own we have, the evil is intensified.

Pernicious = means a harmful effect

Orange section = they are referring to Māori, essentially saying its bad enough with our "native people" without Polynesians too