Posie Parker: Police concerns for welfare, Wellington security company reprisal fears

Posie Parker is set to address a rally in Auckland tomorrow. Photo / Getty

Anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull says the police hold concerns for her personal welfare and have requested details about her movements while she is in New Zealand.

And the controversial British speaker, who goes by the name Posie Parker, has given more detail about why a Wellington security company refused to work at her rally on Sunday.

Keen-Minshull is due to address two rallies in New Zealand this weekend for her Let Women Speak tour. A last-ditch bid in the High Court at Wellington to stop her from entering the country failed this morning.

Before leaving Australia she told the Herald that she had been contacted by police ahead of her arrival.

“The police are worried about my safety in your country.

“They want to know where I am and make sure I’ve got contacts for them.”

She said she had been accosted by a stranger in an Australian airport and her own safety was in peril.

“This is getting into a frenzied state.

“If I’m called what I’m called and legitimized by serious politicians in both your country and Australia people feel that it’s true.

“After the Australian and your prime minister questioned my character I was targeted.

“In many ways it’s such a despicable thing that you can understand why people might respond badly to it. It’s such a vile thing to accuse somebody of.”

She said this was the result of people wrongly saying she was aligned with one of the most despicable ideologies.

“I’ve been put in grave danger by the lies in your press and the politicians in Australia making false accusations.

“This is what happens to women when we speak out.”

Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, is set to speak at events in New Zealand this week. Photo / Getty Images

Earlier she had told supporters on social media she was facing a “ridiculous” bill ahead of the New Zealand leg of her engagements and needed at least half a dozen six security guards to protect her while she was here.

Keen-Minshull would not reveal who the Wellington company was who pulled the pin to protect her during Sunday’s rally saying it was to spare them from being targeted.

But she said the company had just “refused to help” after “despicable” accusations were made against her.

“And they’ve also said it was too dangerous,” she said.

“We’ve had that in Australia as well - men in the business of making money from security saying it’s too dangerous to protect women.

“That is a shocking state of affairs.”

Since then they had beefed up security with additional staff employed.

“They felt - and I agree - that they needed many more officers to make sure that we were safe and that they were safe.”

She said up to seven security officers would be providing “close protection” while she was in the country.

It would now cost $10,000 to cover her security detail.

They would also be there to look after other speakers at the event which is due to take place in Auckland’s Albert Park tomorrow morning.

The activist said her Australian tour had been dogged by last-minute cancellations from companies including security and sound system operators.

The first rally takes place at Albert Park at 11am tomorrow and at Wellington’s Civic Square on Sunday afternoon.

Counter-protests from various are being organised to coincide with rallies in both centres.