Protesters on their way from the Domain to Auckland's Southern Motorway last month. Photo / Michael Craig
Protesters on their way from the Domain to Auckland's Southern Motorway last month. Photo / Michael Craig
The group behind an anti-Government protest that closed sections of a central Auckland motorway last month have another demonstration planned for this weekend.
Members of the Freedoms & Rights Coalition, led by Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki, will gather at the Auckland Domain tomorrow morning for the "Proud to be Kiwi- Kiwi Patriots Day and March".
A flyer for the march says the event is to show New Zealand how many patriotic Kiwis want to "get NZ back again"; to "put the Government on notice that Kiwis have had enough"; and to "unite Freedom Fighters across [the] North Island".
According to the coalition's website, similar events are being planned in Christchurch and Wellington later this month while a convoy from Kaitaia to Wellington, called The Great Kiwi Roadtrip, has been planned for August 22.
Two weeks ago, hundreds of people supporting a similar protest walked onto Auckland's Southern Motorway, grid-locking traffic and prompting police and transport authorities to close lanes.
Police confirmed they were in talks with organisers of tomorrow's protest in and around Auckland Domain.
Details of the route have not yet been shared with the public.
Several hundred protesters surged onto Auckland's Southern Motorway during a protest last month in Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig
The group said it would not be the same as the previous protest but would be "impactive".
Meanwhile, the group is set to face a counter-protest, organised by Mark Graham, who said: "The coalition and Brian Tamaki are not calling for freedom and rights, they want things to be done the way they want. That's just selfish.
"He is throwing a tantrum because he is not getting what he wants. This is not democratic."
Some who supported the counter-protest have said they would block motorway entrances to prevent any attempt by demonstrators to disrupt traffic.
Earlier, the Freedoms & Rights Coalition released a statement saying the "massive" public marches would take place in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in response to what the coalition deemed was Government-inflicted damage on the country.
"It is our intention to cause a major public interruption and disruption," it read.
Bishop Brian Tamaki-led group plans to host a "Kiwi Patriots Day and March" at Auckland Domain on Saturday morning. Photo / Brett Phibbs
The coalition had organised and supported many protests across the country in the past 18 months, including the 23-day occupation of Parliament grounds earlier this year.
In January, Tamaki was arrested for breaching bail conditions and spent nine days inside Auckland's Mt Eden Corrections Facility.
Prior to that, he had been charged three times over his attendance at Auckland Domain lockdown protests.
