Fur protesters accused of intimidation

Five animal rights protesters have gone on trial accused of intimidating staff at a Newmarket fashion store that stocked fur products.

In his opening address in the Auckland District Court yesterday, prosecutor Mark Woolford told Judge Caroline Henwood that the case would set the boundaries between lawful protest and the rights of shopkeepers conducting their legitimate business.

Belucci fashion store in Newmarket was the focus of demonstrations twice in April and May last year.

Suzanne Elizabeth Carey, aged 31, Deirdre Davina Sims, 26, and Jasmine Gillespie-Gray, 20, all of Sandringham, are accused of threatening and intimidating behaviour towards Manwa Wong and her assistant, Jennifer Paice, in the first incident. Another protester was given diversion.

Carey, along with Jesse Oliver Duffield, 24, of West Auckland, and Rochelle Rees, 19, of Hillsborough, are accused of intimidating behaviour towards Ms Wong on the second occasion.

Carey is also accused of stealing a sign from the store.

In the April demonstration, the protesters used a siren, loud hailer and whistles outside the shop. Mr Woolford said that customers were prevented from entering and the store made no further sales that day.

When the shop closed, the demonstrators allegedly surrounded Ms Wong and Ms Paice closely as they left the store escorted by a security guard, screaming and shouting into their faces.

"It was deafening. My ears were hurting and my mind was blank," Ms Wong told the court.

She said she felt spit on her face.*

Eventually they sought refuge in the Lone Star bar until the demonstrators left.

"I broke down and cried in the bar. Jennifer was crying as well," Ms Wong told the judge.

A month later her store was again targeted. Protesters with a megaphone and siren prevented customers entering, she said. Two of the protesters went into the store and one threw a jacket on the floor.

Ms Wong said she was upset, crying and scared.

The accused are represented by Grant Illingworth, QC, and Jo Wickliffe.


* The Herald earlier reported that Ms Wong said that a protester spat in her face. Ms Wong, in fact, said that as the protesters shouted at her, one came so close that she felt her spit on her face.