Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker had liquid thrown at her at Albert Park, Auckland. File photo / Dean Purcell
Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker had liquid thrown at her at Albert Park, Auckland. File photo / Dean Purcell
A Speak Up for Women protest is being held on the grounds of Parliament tomorrow, six weeks after a rally by anti-trans activist Posie Parker was canned in the capital.
Police and the Parliamentary Service are closely monitoring the situation, as counter-protesters plan their own gathering.
With tensions still high in the aftermath of the Posie Parker tour and memories still fresh from last year’s Parliament occupation, police and security staff are making sure disruption to the public will be kept to a minimum.
The protest, titled “Turn up for Women”, has been advertised on Speak Up for Women NZ’s Facebook page.
Speak up for Women is a self-described women’s rights group originally formed to oppose changes to legislation enabling people to self-identify their sex on their birth certificate without going to the Family Court. They now focus on matters such as transgender people in sports and single-sex bathrooms.
The group encourages people to “just turn up to show your support” from 12.30 to 1.30pm on Wednesday.
“We have been in touch with parliamentary security and they have given us a space - it’s the area around the Seddon statue - a great location. There will be barriers too. The organisers will be wearing suffragette ribbons. We’re looking forward to meeting you all,” the group wrote.
Meanwhile the Pōneke Anti-Fascist Coalition has planned a counter protest, to begin at midday.
“We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow to once again stand up against terfs, the far right, and their hate. . . . We aim to keep a safe distance between us and the terfs while also standing in opposition to their rhetoric,” the group wrote on social media.
“Every time we visibly show that transphobia is not acceptable, we make it harder for these hate peddlers to operate and organise. Allowing them to meet and protest in public demonstrates tacit tolerance for their views - views which ultimately seek the erasure of transgender people.”
Posie Parker attracted widespread criticism and controversy during her visit to New Zealand. Photo / NCA NewsWire
The protest follows an aborted New Zealand tour for controversial British anti-transgender activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull.
Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, canned a planned speech about women’s rights in Auckland’s Albert Park after scuffles broke out.
She was doused in a bottle of tomato juice and had to be rushed from the park by security and her supporters, later receiving a police escort.
About 150-200 people showed up in support of Parker’s Let Women Speak event but they were drowned out by a much larger group of around 2000 counter-protesters. Parker then abandoned her tour, citing safety concerns.
With little more than a year having passed since the unprecedented occupation on Parliament grounds by anti-mandate protesters, police and Parliament staff are keeping an eye on the protest in case possible unrest breaks out in the city.
“Police are aware of a protest event planned for Parliament tomorrow. Police will be present to monitor and respond to any issues that may arise, and to minimise disruption to the wider public,” a police spokeswoman said.
A Parliament spokesperson said in a statement they were aware of a planned protest on Parliament grounds.
“The protest is organised by the group, Speak Up For Women and a counter-protest is likely to take place at the same time. There may be minor access restrictions as people gather and depart from Parliament’s grounds,” the statement said.
“As always, our security team is working closely with police to monitor the situation and there will be a police presence on Parliament grounds on Wednesday.
“Thank you for helping us keep the Parliament precinct safe and secure for everyone. Further updates will be provided if necessary.”
