Anti-Chinese leaflets spark fear and anger

Former National Front leader Kyle Chapman is head of the Right Wing Resistance group. Photo / APN

A far-right Christchurch group has been condemned for circulating flyers in Auckland claiming an "Asian invasion" is taking place.

The group, which calls itself the Right Wing Resistance, has distributed "Stop the Asian Invasion" leaflets in suburbs with high Asian populations, including Pakuranga, Howick and Northcote.

Police are concerned that the campaign could lead to "racially motivated violence", says police Asian liaison officer Raymond Wong.

The group is headed by former National Front leader Kyle Chapman. It started the campaign in Christchurch last year.

"The police will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who commits or even incites any form of violence, especially racially motivated," said Mr Wong.

"Some in the Chinese community are deeply concerned about these racist flyers and have taken their worries not only to the police but also to local Chinese radio."

The group is recruiting other immigrants in its campaign against Asians.

A Brazilian student said she was told by a Resistance supporter in Northcote last Saturday that New Zealand was "a country for everyone, except Asians".

"He said Asians bring diseases and crime to the country, and New Zealand will be a paradise without them," the student said.

"I cannot believe they are trying to recruit anti-Asian supporters right in front of a Chinese supermarket."

Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres said the Human Rights Commission had received at least five complaints about the racist pamphlets, mostly from people who received them in their mailboxes.

"They are basically targeting areas where there are significant Chinese residents, and they are doing it clearly to provoke and frighten them."

Permanent and long-term migration from China, which peaked in 2003, is declining.

Residence approvals for migrants from China fell 13 per cent last year from 2009.

Immigration New Zealand says migration from Asia "decreased sharply" between 2003 and 2006, and has only recently resumed a slow but steady growth.

Mr de Bres said the Resistance was "a very small group of extremists" who did not represent the majority of New Zealanders.

"Basically it's not against the law to put such a flyer out, but I can understand how people are hurt or angry or in some cases even frightened by it."