July 23, 2022 | A protest organised by Brian Tamaki and the Freedom & Rights Coalition caused chaos. Video / Supplied / Michael Craig
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has hit back at critics of the anti-government protest on Saturday which brought an Auckland motorway to a crawl, calling complainers "angry, self-entitled dickheads".
Several hundred protesters gathered at the Auckland Domain before walking onto the southern motorway at about 11.30am, as police blocked off all traffic heading south.
All southbound lanes on the motorway were closed as the protesters made their way from the Khyber Pass on-ramp to Gillies Ave, causing major traffic disruptions.
Several hundred protesters surge onto Auckland's Southern Motorway during yesterday's protest. Photo / Michael Craig
Reasons for the protest cited in a press release included but were not limited to; the high cost of living, understaffing of hospitals, GPs being overworked, education problems, three-waters legislation, a mental health crisis and under-resourced first responders.
Many motorists were frustrated with the disruption to their weekend, with some pelting protesters with projectiles from their cars.
In a post on his Facebook page, "Apostle Brian Tamaki", Tamaki hit back at critics, calling naysayers "angry, self-entitled dick heads".
"A 1-hour delay and interruption in their lives turns them into angry, self-entitled dick heads. A protest is meant to be disruptive, visible and has a right to happen. The last 2yrs of misery and chaos this Government has put us through is nothing compared to the 2hr inconvenience to traffic!" Tamaki wrote.
Bishop Brian Tamaki at an earlier lockdown and vaccination protest at Auckland Domain last year. Photo / Brett Phibbs
He continued, maintaining that "New Zealanders have lived so long in privilege and comfort" and that those opposed to the protesters were arrogant and selfish with no care for anything but "their money, pleasures and narcissist uninterrupted small lives".
Tamaki added: "the nasty vile, negative and personal slandering that lies in the underbelly of this nation, has made us the 2nd Worst Place to live in, out of 50 other countries that were canvassed in a recent poll".
The remark was seemingly a reference to a survey of immigrants who considered New Zealand the second-worst country to move to out of 52 of the world's near-200 countries.
Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has hit back at the critics of the anti-government protest on Saturday. Photo / Michael Craig
Auckland Central Area Commander Inspector Graeme Anderson said police have begun the process of prosecuting those involved with the protest.
"This will involve reviewing information and evidence to identify those involved in offending - including entering the motorway system on foot and other alleged driving-related offences," Anderson said.
"At this time we have not arrested and charged or summoned anyone in relation to yesterday's protest activity."
In January, Tamaki was arrested for breaching bail conditions and spent nine days inside Auckland's Mt Eden Corrections Facility.
Prior to that, he had been charged three times over his attendance at Auckland Domain lockdown protests.
