Mel McKenzie: Anglican Priest on the group of Christian leaders protesting the Government's Gaza response

A group of Christian leaders who have chained themselves to Nicola Willis' Johnsonville electorate office are vowing to stay there overnight.

They want an urgent timeline from the Government for implementing sanctions against Israel over the war in Gaza.

Reverend Mel McKenzie says they're fasting in solidarity with the people of Palestine.

"We're just so focused on the suffering that's happening in Gaza and we're doing what Anglican and Catholic priests do - which is to pray and fast."

Nicola Willis says she supports the right to peaceful protest - but adds their presence is blocking the public's access to her office and its staff members who would otherwise be able to provide help to the community.

Five clergy were trespassed from Simeon Brown's Pakuranga electorate office earlier today.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now today Cabinet apparently decided the government's position on recognizing
your state of Palestine. Meanwhile, a number of priests and
pastors protested by sitting in minister's electorate offices. Reverend mel
mackenzie is the vicarates and Anne's Anglican parish in Nikola
Willis's electorate, and she's currently chained apparently to Nichola's electorate office.
Mell are you there?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
I am hello? Thank you here there? Yeah, thank you?

Speaker 1 (00:23):
Are you still chained?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
I am, yeah, I'm chained with some colleagues of mine,
fellow Anglican press, and we've had a Catholic press from
the electorate with us today as well.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Is the Catholic priest still there?

Speaker 2 (00:37):
He had to attend a funeral by about four o'clock,
so we've released him.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Yeah, all right, So what are you are? You chained
to the door? Is that what's going on?

Speaker 2 (00:48):
We are, we've chained to the door. For us, We're
really focused on like one thing in particular, which is
trying to seek an urgent timeline from the government for
implementing sanctions and our key there's really our key focus
for doing this. We would love it off the back
of the large scale process we saw on the weekend

(01:12):
in Tammacky Maikodos, uh and the rolling demonstrations that are
happening around New Zealand. We feel like these are all
moods and know there's a mode of New Zealanders who
care deeply about this. So we're really deeply speaking action
now from the government to make a commitment that lines
up with you know what the values people are holding

(01:32):
and wanting to see, uh see sanctions placed by the
New Zealand government on Israel.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Why did you decide that you needed to change yourself
to an electric office.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Well, it's actually out of frustration really with the international
community have been calling, making many many calls, lots of
words uh and and now we just feel like sanctions
actually what speaks louder than words when when the government's
been uh dragging the chain on this sort of speak

(02:03):
which is a bit of a pun. But we want
to see them act and just make a commitment to
the time frame that they will introduce sanctions into Parliamentce
how long you let stay there? Oh, look, we were
prepared to start overnight. We're just so focused on the
suffering that's happening in Gaza. We're praying by sort of
doing what Anglican and Catholic priests do, which is to pray,

(02:28):
pray and fast, and we're fasting from liquid and from
also from food in solidarity with the people of Palestine
in particular. And yeah, we recognized also violence done, you know,
in the hostages being held, so so for us, we
are just devastated by the level of violence that's securing

(02:49):
and wanting to stand with them, Yes, and what we're doing,
so we'll stay overnight, we yeah, and just want to
keep putting that to the government. Will they hear the
mood of New Zealanders and put that time frame on.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
All right, mal, thanks very much for your time. Reverend
mel mackenzie, who is the vicarates and Anne's Anglican parish.
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