A defiant Brian Tamaki has issued a message to his supporters, claiming he stands for all New Zealanders ahead of his first court appearance today on charges of organising a mass anti-lockdown protest in Auckland.
Tamaki took to social media this morning, describing the effects of lockdown as "carnage" and promising to take his fight to the High Court.
"I STAND today for all NZers who believe our "FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS" should never be removed, negated or violated, but protected and preserved," Tamaki wrote.
"We would never be seeing the social-carnage we are today if our Bill of Rights had teeth," he argued, claiming that lockdowns had brought "a divided nation, job loss, busted businesses, mental illness and anguish" among other ill effects.