British gender activist Posie Parker has left New Zealand, calling it the “worst place for women she has ever visited”.
Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, also known as Posie Parker, shared a photo on social media showing her being escorted by police through Auckland Airport.
She left her rally at Albert Park in Auckland yesterday without speaking, after being overwhelmed by thousands of heckling counter-protesters and pelted with tomato juice.
Controversial Harry Potter author JK Rowling took to Twitter on Sunday to brand the protest scenes in Auckland as “repellent”.
British activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker is drowned out by trans-rights supporters at Albert Park. Photo / Dean Purcell
During a series of Tweets, she said a mob “had assaulted women standing up for their rights”.
After the repellent scenes from New Zealand, in which a mob assaulted women speaking up for their rights, #TheLesbianProject is being intimidated and threatened in the UK, right now. https://t.co/w7rahPjxrr
Parker posted to Twitter and said she was leaving “the worst place for women she has ever visited”.
The activist also claimed she was a victim of a campaign to assassinate her character, boosted by a “corrupt media populated by vile dishonest cult members”.
British activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull aka Posie Parker is drowned out by trans-rights supporters at Albert Park. Photo / Dean Purcell
Her departure meant her planned rally for Wellington on Sunday did not go ahead.
A local group supporting her visit, Speak Up For Women NZ, had already announced the scheduled rally in Wellington had been cancelled due to security concerns.
Auckland Pride rejected the idea the activist had abandoned her Wellington plans due to threats of violence.
There is a narrative quickly taking hold amongst anti-trans groups and individuals that Parker abandoned her event because of violence from our community.
The group tweeted: “There is a narrative quickly taking hold amongst anti-trans groups and individuals that Parker abandoned her event because of violence from our community.
“We reject this narrative. We are of the firm belief that the demonstration of unity, celebration, and acceptance alongside joyous music, chanting, and noise of 5,000 supporters was too loud to overcome and the reason for her departure - and not the actions of any one individual.”
Parker arrived at the Albert Park event Saturday morning to speak with supporters at a rally.
Her presence and comments infuriated rights advocates, and the reception she received in Auckland left Parker visibly shaken.
The controversial British activist’s Melbourne rally days before was attended by neo-Nazis, a fact widely reported in New Zealand before she was allowed into the country by Immigration New Zealand and Immigration Minister Michael Wood.
Trans-rights supporters move their attention to the Destiney Church rally in Aotea Square. Photo / Dean Purcell
Parker was critical of what she said was a lack of police presence at the Auckland event, with her security team struggling to separate her from hostile crowds of protesters.
After being escorted to a police car through the crowd, Parker requested to be driven to the police station, because she feared for her safety.
