In today's headlines with Susie Nordqvist, Kamala Harris has selected her running mate, and pathologist says it's likely Lachie Jones drowned. Video / NZ Herald / Getty
Labour MP Duncan Webb has deleted a video from social media that featured pro-Palestinian protesters chanting at the prime minister: “How many kids did you kill today?”
He had earlier stood by the post, saying the government should take a stronger stance on the Gaza conflict.
It comes at an incendiary time at Parliament as MPs debate several contentious and emotive issues with both sides accusing the other of inflaming tensions.
The Instagram video, posted by Webb on Friday, showed protesters marching through Christchurch holding flags and signs - some reading “Boycott Israel” or “Gaza is the Palestinian Holocaust”.
The clip began with the chant: “Hey [Christopher] Luxon, what do you say? How many kids did you kill today?”
Labour MP Duncan Webb in a video he shared to social media of a pro-Palestine protest which featured a chant of "Hey Luxon, what do you say, how many kids did you kill today?".
It went on to show Webb addressing the protesters, calling for an end to the demonisation of Palestinians and “the racism that underpins this entire conflict”.
“Stop the apartheid, the fundamentally racist premise that is the state of Israel, that divides the state on racist lines,” Webb said.
“Stop the hunger. Stop the use of starvation as a weapon of war. Stop the blockade of aid, of water, of electricity, of the fundamentals of life to the people of Gaza.
“Stop the occupation. Stop the illegal taking of land.”
RNZ asked Webb on Wednesday morning whether creating and sharing the video of the chant was appropriate.
“They’re not words I would use, but there are very strong feelings out there,” Webb said in a statement.
“I certainly think the Government should take a much stronger stance on the conflict.”
Speaking to RNZ shortly after, Labour leader Chris Hipkins initially defended Webb, saying it was a judgment call for him.
“Certainly when it comes to Palestine, there are some chants I very strongly disagree with and that I think are unhelpful, but I wouldn’t say to MPs that they shouldn’t share video footage or photos from those sort of protests.”
Pressed further, Hipkins said he would not tell Webb to remove the post but he was confident Webb would “do the right thing”.
“It’s not video footage I would use. Those are not words I would use. And I’ve conveyed that to Duncan as well.”
The post was taken down from Instagram later Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking on Morning Report earlier on Wednesday, Hipkins had blamed Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in part for the poor behaviour and culture at Parliament, accusing him of using “inflammatory political rhetoric”.
Luxon told RNZ Webb’s behaviour was unacceptable and labelled Hipkins a hypocrite for not taking stronger action.
“When a former minister and a senior Labour MP is sharing video footage saying that I’m killing children, that’s beyond the pale.”
Act leader David Seymour speaking to reporters. Photo / Mark Mitchell
ACT leader David Seymour said voters would judge Labour on its MPs’ behaviour: “it’s time to maybe take it down a notch on that sort of rhetoric”.
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick - who herself has been criticised for using a contentious pro-Palestine chant - came to Webb’s defence.
“I am getting incredibly frustrated by the fact that we have spent so much more time policing the language of the people who are opposing a literal genocide... than we are on holding politicians accountable to taking action on preventing that genocide.”
Webb has courted controversy on social media before.
In May, he apologised and deleted a tweeted jibe at ACT leader David Seymour: “Do you think [Seymour] doesn’t like humus because it’s too close to [Hamas]?”
Separately on Wednesday, Labour issued a statement calling for the coalition to ban government agencies from purchasing goods or services from Israel’s illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories of Gaza and the West Bank.
The International Court of Justice has ruled Israel’s continued presence in the territories is unlawful. Labour says, as a result, action needs to be taken.
Webb shared Labour’s statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, adding: “we need a stronger stance from Luxon”.
