Citizen journalist Simon Anderson interviews Judith Hobson, who was the victim of an assault during an LGBTQ rights activist protest.
Video / Alyse Wright / Jason Dorday
Pensioner Judith Hobson has waited almost 12 months to confront the young man who punched her in the head repeatedly at a Posie Parker “free speech” rally in Auckland.
But Hobson, who asked for her identity be made public - unlike her attacker, aged 20 at the time of theattack - says that while the assault has affected her physically, the police and judicial process was mentally “kicking me in the guts daily”.
At the Auckland District Court yesterday, the accused, whose lawyer said suffers from ADHD and autism, was convicted of assaulting the grandmother and discharged without conviction. He was also granted permanent name suppression and ordered to pay $1000 reparation to Hobson.
“I hope his parents are proud of him. This is an absolute joke, and he’s a disgrace,” Hobson told the Herald.
“I am absolutely livid that he has walked out of the court with, in my opinion, virtually no consequences whatsoever. It’s no wonder victims don’t go to court, because they become victims all over again.”
Hobson, in her victim impact statement, said she flew to Auckland to attend a Women’s Rights Rally at Albert Park on March 25 last year that British speaker Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull - a self-described women’s rights activist better known as Posie Parker - was attending. Keen-Minshull has been labelled an anti-transgender rights activist by critics.
“My intent in attending was to talk with other ladies facing the same concerns as myself regarding men being allowed into women’s spaces and what I regard as the undermining of our children by the belief system that a child can change sex,” Hobson said.
British women's rights activist Posie Parker.
While waiting for the event to start, a large crowd of protesters gathered and began making noise, Hobson said.
“This was not unexpected, as misinformation about the intent of the rally had been amplified to such an extent the media and members of Parliament had encouraged people to protest against a small group of ladies, speaking about the loss of women’s rights.
Hobson said the protesters were behind a metal fence placed by rally organisers, but they lifted the fence from the ground and “charged through our space towards the rotunda.
“I stepped towards some of the protesters and asked them to go back to their area. I had my hands out in front of me, one woman made contact with my hands and I remonstrated with her and her group.
Judith Hobson was assaulted at the Posie Parker rally at Auckland's Albert Park in March last year.
“At this point, I felt an impact on my left side. I looked down and saw a head near my ribs. I felt a blow to the side of my head toward the back behind my ear. This ripped my glasses from my face. My vision darkened and I was unaware of what happened around me for several seconds.”
Fearing she could fall and be impaled on fencing, she tried to turn away.
“At that point, my vision blurred again and returned in time for me to see my assailant with his left hand coming from his shoulder towards my face and I twisted my face to the left to lessen the impact.
“I felt the blow to my face and then shortly after another blow lower under my cheekbone.”
She heard cries of outrage, then saw the man on the ground with raised fists.
“There were people moving towards him and he rose to his feet and ran away. I recognised the man as being the same person as my attacker.
“I was unaware at the time that half my face was rapidly swelling and discolouring. I went to stand on the rotunda steps and faced the crowd. It was so frightening to see so much hate.”
Hobson then made her way to Queen St, where she passed through a police cordon to safety.
“On finding a seat I started to shake quite badly and the pain in my head and eye became very noticeable.”
She asked for a ice pack for her eye from ambulance staff.
Hobson said she suffered physical, mental, emotional and financial stress.
“I have trouble sleeping because I flash straight back to the assault when my eyes are closed. I manage a few hours sleep a night, some nights, but only with a sleeping pill. This has hindered my healing and emotional well-being as this injury has had cascading negative consequences for me.
Citizen journalist Simon Anderson interviews Judith Hobson, who was the victim of an assault during a rally last March. Photo / Jason Dorday
She was now plagued by headaches, was forgetful and had trouble finishing sentences. She found it hard to read a book or listen to music.
She was frightened about returning to her home with her husband and dogs, fearing she could be targeted again by “the mob”.
“I spent days shut inside my home being too afraid to go to the hospital.”
She said when she finally saw a doctor she was diagnosed with a concussion.
Campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen-Munshill, aka Posie Parker, had tomato sauce poured over her. Photo / Twitter / @ElianaRubashkyn
“I cannot focus on reading or any activity; I am sickened at how my life has shrunk because I’m scared after being hit in the face by a man and I’m unreasonably wary of male strangers.
“I did not approach this man. I did not speak to him or look at him. I did nothing to him to provoke this attack. I can think of no reason why he would choose to attack a 70-year-old woman at a women’s rights rally. Not just once, but three times.
“He had seen my face, he knew he was hitting an old woman and he continued to hit again and again. I am having to seek professional help to overcome the trauma.”
Having to write her victim impact statement had made her relive the trauma.
“My heart hurts in my chest, my blood pounds and I feel sick . . . I see it all turn to horror and violence and hate. Now I am supposed to feel content that the man who hit me is not facing any consequences? No, no, I am not content.”
Joseph Los’e is an award-winning journalist and joined NZME in 2022 as kaupapa Māori editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and before joining NZME worked for Whānau Waipareira.
