Brian Tamaki led a protest to parliament grounds today in an attempt to trigger a snap election. Video / NZ Herald
A disinformation researcher says a mock court trial held during today's parliamentary protest may have seemed ridiculous but had darker undertones of violent extremism.
Director of The Disinformation Project Kate Hannah drew parallels between the Freedoms and Rights Coalition anti-government protest and the violent events in Washington DC last year.
"To me, it looks like a very specific signal towards events that took place in the United States around the time of the January 6 Capitol insurrections and when there were calls for the execution of the vice president Mike Pence."
Protesters marched on Parliament yesterday led by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki.
They staged a mock court trial complete with a "judge" brandishing a gavel.
"Witnesses" addressed the crowd who were referred to as "the ladies and gentle of the jury". Towards the end of the protest, the "judge" asked the crowd for their verdict to which they yelled "guilty".
A mock court trial was held during a protest at Parliament on Tuesday. Photo / George Heard
Hannah said the trial seemed ridiculous with its court paraphernalia, including the gavel and the scales of justice.
"The visual message of somebody on high outside Parliament giving a verdict ... is quite powerful, particularly when the discourse is around the idea of people being [found] guilty of something as severe and as terrifying of crimes against humanity.
"It behoves us to acknowledge the silliness of it but also acknowledges that visually ... it's quite scary at the same time."
Speaking as the protest wrapped up, Tamaki told reporters he thought the trial was fun but also serious.
"At least we're here, we showed up today ... we did something, we said something."
Brian Tamaki, of Destiny Church, addressing the crowd at Tuesday's protest. Photo / George Heard
Hannah said mock trials had historic resonance and meaning.
"It's a symbolic act to get rid of a dictator, it's a symbolic act to harm a group in society ... they have a lot of meaning."
She said there had been similar types of events in the US, Canada and the UK around similar ideas of the "sovereign citizen movement".
Yesterday's protest was not a "singular event" but came within the context of the 23-day February and March occupation, which came to a fiery end when riot police clashed with anti-mandate protesters, Hannah said.
Protesters marched to Parliament yesterday before a mock court trial was held. Photo / George Heard
The act of having a trial, discussing crimes against humanity and signalling people were guilty implied other things, "particularly since at the previous time that we had a large crowd at Parliament ... there were specific calls then; saying things like "hang 'em high" or use gallows and nooses as visual aids".
"The event [today] takes place not by itself. It's not a singular event ... It takes place in the context of the February/March occupation, but also in the context of ... the conversations that have been happening across social media and behind closed doors around the need for people to be held to account and for there to be trials and prosecutions and executions."
