Protesters repeat racist attacks on Tūpuna Maunga

Protesters have struck again at Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura / Mt Albert, with a repeat of hate speech graffiti.

On 17 April, public toilets on the Maunga were defaced with hate speech, including Star of David symbols.

In today’s attack, a large Star of David symbol with a dollar sign in the centre was painted on the carpark surface. The public toilets have been vandalised with paint and symbols of triangles with circles in the centre, alongside ‘WAI’, another dollar sign and ‘5G?’ in spray paint.

Both acts of vandalism follow the Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s enforcement action on 15 April that removed the unlawful protestor encampment after the group repeatedly breached Covid-19 alert level 4 restrictions.
The protest group had unlawfully occupied Ōwairaka / Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura / Mt Albert since November last year in protest of the Authority’s plans to restore the native ecology of the Maunga by replacing 345 exotic trees (the majority being pest species), with over 13,000 native species.

Paul Majurey, Chair of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority says there are some disturbed individuals in the protest group such that the group needs to urgently take steps to de-escalate matters in case these provocations on Treaty settlement land draw a direct response.

“The repeated anti-Semitic and supremacist use of the Star of David and other symbols shows the protest group has lost control of their campaign and it has taken a dangerous turn.”

“The Authority has received many messages of support and indications that Mana Whenua and local residents will not tolerate this again. The protest group needs to take action now to end these attacks,” says Majurey.

“The group ironically calling themselves ‘Honour the Maunga’ are trying to distance themselves from these attacks by claiming it is not the work of their members. Whether or not the direct work of their membership, the protest group needs to take responsibility for the fact that their campaign has incited people to act with appalling racism and hate speech.”

“The protest leader began the campaign with a Facebook post claiming the Authority’s plans to restore native vegetation on the Maunga was retribution for colonisation. A member of their group laid a curse on all Mana Whenua who supported the Authority’s plans at a public gathering. And, they’ve been joined by members of the radical right group Hobsons Pledge who delivered their ‘One Treaty One Nation’ flier to Mt Albert residents’ letterboxes, together with a flier referring to the Treaty of Waitangi settlement over the Maunga a ‘fraud’. Tūpuna Maunga Authority members, especially ward councillors, have also been personally insulted.”

Majurey adds, “It is ironic timing that on the same day the protest group leader published a letter in the New Zealand Herald arguing the Tūpuna Maunga Authority is playing the racist card, and that the Treaty settlement over the Maunga is somehow flawed, that there is another racist attack by a protester which incorporates racist symbolism.”

It is not clear what the spray-painted letters ‘WAI’ refer to, though that is a common prefix on records for Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

It is also not clear what the circle encased in a triangle is meant to suggest, though the symbol is similar to the Eye of Providence often used by conspiracy theorists to represent the all-seeing eye of God.

“In the Herald editorial today the protest group leader talks about recognising the line between racism and acceptance of inappropriate behaviours and practices. The protest group should treat that sentiment seriously and take responsibility for the hatred that has been incited, and end their campaign before attacks become more serious,” says Majurey.

Auckland Councillor Alf Filipaina, Deputy Chair of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, condemns the latest attack.

“Hate speech has no place in our society, yet we have seen this increase as the protest group continues to provoke their following with misinformation and messaging that undermines the Treaty of Waitangi settlement that returned the Maunga to the iwi of Marutūāhu, Ngāti Whātua and Waiohua.”

“The ‘5G’ reference in the graffiti is one example of the bizarre conspiracy theories that are being fueled. They claim the Authority is planning on placing 5G towers on the Maunga as a way to make money. When it comes to infrastructure, the focus of the Authority is restoring the wairua and mauri of the Maunga, for example by removing unnecessary / inappropriate infrastructure across the Maunga network.”

“It is important for people to understand that Auckland Council is in full support of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority and has huge admiration for the Authority’s innovation and thought leadership in caring for Auckland’s most iconic landscapes”, says Filipaina.

Anyone with information about the vandalism is encouraged to contact the Police.

Ōwairaka-Mt Albert Graffiti