New Zealand designates American Proud Boys and The Base as terrorist organisations

The Proud Boys, an American far-right organisation, is now designated as a terrorist entity in NZ, with severe penalties for anyone here with property or financial dealings with the group. Photo / Getty Images

By RNZ

New Zealand has designated US groups the Proud Boys and The Base as terrorist entities.

Set down in the Government's official journal of record - the gazette - last Monday, June 20, it was published publicly a week later but with no wider dissemination.

The move authorised by Police Commissioner Andrew Coster makes anyone with property or financial dealings related to The Base and the Proud Boys liable for prosecution and up to seven years imprisonment under the Terrorism Suppression Act.

The American Proud Boys is a US neo-fascist group with members and leadership who have been federally indicted over the January 6 riots at the US Capitol.

The Base is a paramilitary white nationalist hate group active in the US and Canada, with reports of training cells in Europe, South Africa and Australia.

While the gazette stated a reasoning for the designation would be available on the police website, that document has not yet been made public.

The designation automatically expires on June 20, 2025, unless extended or revoked.