A defiant Brian Tamaki says he is not a lawbreaker, and has never faced such a strict set of restrictions after police vowed to stop protesters on Auckland Harbour Bridge tomorrow.
A top-ranking cop says a “significant” police presence – with officers drafted from across the country – will be preventing protesters from walking over the city’s harbour bridge tomorrow.
Safety concerns led NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) to decline an application by The Freedom and Rights Coalition, an umbrella organisation created by Destiny Church in opposition to Covid-19 restrictions, to walk the bridge on Saturday.
Police are warning Aucklanders of possible delays on part of the motorway network and roads near the central city due to protest activity.
Despite this, Tamaki said he is pressing ahead with protest plans, telling parishioners and supporters to assemble at a central Auckland park near motorway on and off ramps ahead of the march.
“I am not a law-breaker,” Tamaki told the Herald.
“We are gathering at Victoria Park for a peaceful, family-friendly protest …we are never violent."
He intended to let the police “sweat it out”, with the protest about “presence, not permission”.
“I’ve never seen a protest so controlled and restricted. I am putting Kiwis First, and from every angle, they are trying to block us.”
Waitematā district commander Superintendent Naila Hassan said they would be preventing anyone from attempting to gain access to the bridge.
“We are making it very clear that any attempt to access the motorway tomorrow and the Auckland Harbour Bridge on foot will be prevented.
“It’s an unlawful act ... tomorrow there will be consequences.”
She told Ryan Bridge TODAY that they had been working with the group to find an alternate location, despite Tamaki’s repeated claims he fully intends to march over the bridge.
When asked why other groups were allowed to go over, Hassan said NZTA had given the advice that marches could damage the critical infrastructure.
“We will not be facilitating or supporting any future marches. So we have drawn a line in the sand, and it just happens to be with this group.”
In a statement before 2pm, Hassan said police would be well placed to respond to unlawful attempts to access the bridge on foot.
“A large operation has been planned, with resources coming from across the Auckland region and other parts of the country,” she says.
“Our focus will be on ensuring everyone’s safety and to minimise any disruptions to those Aucklanders going about their business.
“If you are accessing the motorway network near Victoria Park, or city centre and Ponsonby, please prepare ahead for delays and significant bus detours.”
Tamaki said there were no intentions of violence tomorrow and the gathering will be a “family-friendly” event.
He called the decision to block the march “selective policing”.
“Police have known about the clip-on issues since 2023, yet they allowed Toitū te Tiriti and Pro-Palestinian protests to proceed. Even the Auckland Marathon.”
He also said the Freedoms and Rights Coalition intend to refer the matter to the IPCA.
Destiny Church pastor Hannah Tamaki has slammed the police presence as “a waste of money” and time.
“If we don’t stand tomorrow, our country will never be the same. If you don’t want to cross the bridge, that’s fine. But show up at [Victoria Park] to show your support for the stand.”
Auckland’s Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson has also come out against the planned protest, saying it will potentially disrupt the travel plans of tens of thousands of Aucklanders.
She’s calling on the Government to take a stand against Destiny Church’s bridge protest.
Simpson said she could not approve of an act that would result in traffic chaos.
“While I fully support the right to free expression and peaceful protest, I do not endorse actions that will disrupt the weekend travel plans of tens of thousands of Aucklanders.”
She said the authority over the harbour bridge, including the policing of activity on it, lays with central government.
“I hope the Government takes a stand on this.”
Last Sunday, a defiant Tamaki, speaking to his congregation at Manukau’s Due Drop Events Centre, said the Bridge to Better protest was the “biggest moment of 2026”.
“The future of NZ relies on Destiny,” he said.
“I understand this [march] is so hot that there are three counter-protests against us.”
NZTA said the group’s application to use the bridge was declined because “information provided in the Coalition’s Traffic Management Plan did not meet NZTA’s strict criteria”.
“There is a very high threshold for acceptance of requests to access the bridge for special events,” it said, adding “the bridge is not designed for use by pedestrians”.
Auckland Transport said they are bracing for public transport and roads to be significantly disrupted, with buses that travel through or to the city centre being detoured from 11am for an unknown amount of time.
Claire Howard, manager of the joint NZTA/AT Auckland Transport Operation Centre, said motorists travelling through the city centre and on state highways should allow extra time and prepare for detours.
Te Komititanga Square is also expected to be “very busy”, and people travelling by bus, train or ferry should allow extra time accessing Waitematā Station and the Downtown Ferry Terminal.
Members of the controversial group attended a Sikh parade in South Auckland last month holding banners that read: “This is NZ, not India”.
There are two other protests planned for tomorrow.
One group, named Toitū Te Aroha, will march from Britomart, up Queen St in Myers Park in support of the Sikh community, which had been “targeted by acts of hate and intimidation”. The march is set to begin at 11am. Queen St will be closed from 11am.
The other is an Iranian solidarity protest, which will meet at Western Park in Ponsonby from 6pm tomorrow.