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Whāinga ako: Lesson Goals
Whāinga ako: Lesson Goals
To explore the difference between acceptable and unacceptable forms of political protest.
To be able to express opinions on the boundaries of peaceful and respectful disagreement.
Mahi - Work
Mahi - Work
What forms of protest are unacceptable?
What forms of protest are unacceptable?
In recent years, many MPs and political figures have stated they feel unsafe due to increased public protests and opinions. Politicians have stepped down due to the way they are feeling targeted personally when someone disagrees with them on a political idea.
The trend to push the boundaries for attention, however, goes back further. Some controversial protests include:
Eggs being thrown at the Queen in 1986 to protest the monarchy and its role in colonising NZ
A dildo thrown at politician Steve Joyce's face, as part of protesting a trade agreement between countries in 2016
Politician John Banks had watered-down horse manure thrown on him 2014. The man was fined $400. He had been previously fined $10000 for throwing poo at a royal visitor.
Protesters dug up pavers to throw at police during the Parliament protest riot in 2022
Grant Cole and Marx Jones charted a plane, armed with three banana boxes filled with hand-sized flour bombs, and dropped them on the rugby game in protest of apartheid SA
Posie Parker, an anti-trans activist had tomato juice poured on her by a woman protesting what was being said.
Is it acceptable?
Is it acceptable?
Egging, as well as throwing other types of food and drink, is a controversial but well-known form of protest. What do you think? What forms of political protest are acceptable and which go too far?
The Polynesian Panthers protest methods
The Polynesian Panthers protest methods
The Polynesian Panthers decided one method they would take would be to subject politicians to a "dawn raid." They approached three politicians houses at 3am, with loud hailers and spotlights and shone them on the houses. They shouted "Come out with your passport NOW!" creating loud noises and intimidating those inside the house. One politician they targeted was Frank Gill who was the Minister of Immigration.
Some people might think that approaching a politician at their home is an invasion of that person's privacy and unacceptable. Here's two perspectives from the event.
"When the lights came on and they all came out, we'd take off. It was just to turn the tables; we knew where he lived. So that was non-violent struggle and passive protest."
-Tigilau Ness, Black Panters member
"How dare these people come to our homes at such an ungodly hour!"
-Frank Gill, Minister of Immigration
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