Perspective with Heather duPlessis-Allan: The police did the right thing by agreeing to the bridge march

Weather aside, I actually think police did do the right thing saying yes to that march taking place across the harbour Bridge, which will now not take place tomorrow but at a later date.

My biggest problem with it would be that it would set a precedent, but it's actually not setting a precedent because the precedent was probably already set last year by the anti-Treaty principles Hikoi, which happened in November.

And now as a result, we are dealing with the predictable problem of letting one protest walk across, which means that we have to let every major protest walk across if they want to.

So here we find ourselves.

But I do think, having said all of that, I do think it is the right thing to do because what it is doing is allowing a controlled protest to take place that will achieve what the protest organizers want, which is big publicity to draw attention to what's happening in Gaza.

Now, a protest across the harbour bridge is surely a better outcome than protesters finding other ways to get the same kind of publicity.

I mean, this week in Spain, look what's happened.

The protesters disrupted the Grand Tour so many times that there is now talk that the race may be abandoned before the final leg is finished on Sunday.

I would much rather just have a march across the harbour Bridge.

A lawyer in Auckland has just been convicted for vandalizing politicians’ electorate offices with red paint, including Christopher Luxon's.

I would rather that she just put down her paint and went for a march across the harbour Bridge.

In a way, the real precedent actually has been set by Sydney where they allowed the protesters to cross their harbour Bridge in August.

Now, really, put yourself in the position of the police.

How could they say no when it had already happened in Sydney?

So I know whenever this finally does happen, it's not going to be popular.

Disruptions never are popular, but all things considered, with the available options, I think it was the right thing to do.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Whether aside. I actually think police did do the right
thing saying yes to that march taking place across the
Harbor Bridge, which will now not take place tomorrow about
at a later date. My biggest problem with it would
be that it would set a precedent, but it's actually
not setting a precedent because the president was probably already
set last year by the anti Treaty principles hikoy, which
happened in November, and now as a result, we are

(00:21):
dealing with the predictable problem of letting one protest walk across,
which means that we have to let every major protest
walk across if they want to. So here we find ourselves.
But I do think having said all of that, I
do think it is the right thing to do, because
what it is doing is allowing a controlled protest to
take place that will achieve what the protest organizers want,
which is big publicity to draw attention to what's happening

(00:43):
in Gaza. Now, a protest across the Harbor Bridge is
surely a better outcome than protest is finding other ways
to get the same kind of publicity. I mean, this
week in Spain, look what's happened the protest has disrupted
the Grand Tour so many times that there is now
talk that the race may be abandoned before the final
league is finished on Sunday. I would much rather just
have a march across the harbor Bridge. A lawyer in

(01:05):
Auckland has just been convicted for vandalizing politicians, electorate officers
and red paint, including Christopher Luxen's. I would rather that
she just put down her paint and went for a
march across the Harbor Bridge. In a way, the real
precedent actually has been set by Sydney where they allowed
the protesters protesters to cross their harbor Bridge in August. Now,
really put yourself on the position of the police. How

(01:26):
could they say no when it had already happened in Sydney.
So I know, whenever this finally does happen, it's not
going to be popular. Disruptions never are popular. But all
things considered, with the available options, I think it was
the right thing to do. For more from Heather du
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