The Pasifika Festival 2019 has been cancelled. Photo / File
The Pasifika Festival 2019 has been cancelled. Photo / File
Major events in Auckland are being cancelled this weekend as a result of the Christchurch terror attack.
Organisers of Auckland's Pasifika Festival, which was set to take place at Western Springs Stadium on March 23 and 24, said the event was cancelled due to a stretched police force.
The WaitākereHoli 2019 will also not be going ahead at the Trusts Arena on March 24.
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development's general manager destination, Steve Armitage, said: "Given the need to prioritise police resourcing following the terrible events in Christchurch, we have today decided to cancel the Pasifika Festival."
The festival, which aims to "bring together Pacific Island communities to celebrate diverse cultures of the South Pacific", was to mark its 27th anniversary this year.
Armitage said initial discussions with the police had given hope that the event would be able to bring Auckland's communities together at this time of national mourning.
"However, given the unprecedented nature of what has happened, we appreciate and respect that the New Zealand Police must prioritise resourcing to ensure the safety of all our communities across Tāmaki Makaurau," he said.
"Pasifika Festival will return bigger and brighter than ever in 2020."
Coloured powder is thrown at the Holi festival. Photo / File
Sunil Kaushal of the Waitākere Indian Association said the Holi festival had been cancelled as a mark of respect for the Christchurch terror victims.
The festival, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other, is described as "NZ's biggest free family-friendly" event of its kind.
"Instead, we are holding an interfaith vigil tonight at the Ram Mandir in Henderson from 7.15pm," Kaushal said.
"We feel the pain of our community."
Last weekend, Polyfest was called off, as was the Auckland St Patrick's Day parade, University of Otago 150th anniversary celebrations and Wellington Pride Festival events.
Auckland Diversity Festival organiser Rana Judge said he was meeting with the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board this afternoon to discuss whether the event would go ahead on April 6.
The festival at Hayman Park was to "celebrate Auckland's diverse communities", but Judge said several groups had pulled out following the Christchurch attacks, including groups from the Pakistani Muslim community.
Other ethnic groups involved with the festival include Māori, Pacific, Chinese, Indian, Korean, Japanese, Malaysian, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi.
"At this stage, we are unsure about what is going to happen, but some community groups have said they are uncomfortable in taking part because of what has happened in Christchurch," Judge said.
Jim Beam Homegrown will be going ahead as planned at Wellington's waterfront, but organisers said "safety of all people attending" would be its "utmost priority".
Participants could expect processing times for entry and exit to be slightly longer than usual because of a planned increase in bag searches and other additional security measures.
"There are no words that can express our heartfelt thoughts and love for all those affected by what happened in Christchurch," the organisers said in a statement.
"This weekend we ask that people come together in respect and kindness to celebrate all that is good about New Zealand."
