Tiki Taane: Cop wanted to prove a point

Tiki Taane says he worries for performing artists if they aren't allowed to express themselves freely. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Singer Tiki Taane who was arrested for allegedly singing the rap anthem "F### the police" says his performance was meant to be tongue in cheek.
But he said the song was taken the wrong way by a police officer, who returned over an hour later to arrest him.

Taane, 34, told Newstalk ZB's Danny Watson that "police definitely made their presence felt" during his early Sunday morning gig at the Illuminati nightclub.

He confirmed he sang the first two lines of N.W.A.'s 1988 classic F*** The Police.

"It gets played in every club around the world all the time and it gets played on TV and radio. I've played it many, many times at many of my gigs and there has never been any problem," he said.

"It's a bit of a tongue in cheek kind of thing.

"But unfortunately I think a certain officer got a little bit upset and wanted to come back and prove a point, I guess, by arresting me and walking me out in cuffs in front of the audience."

Taane who was charged with disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence was shocked by his arrest.

"To be arrested for that and especially there wasn't any disorderly behaviour. There wasn't any violence. The crowd left peacefully...it was actually a really awesome night and for it to end like that was a real surprise."

"You go to an R18 movie you will get lots of swearing lots of crazy kinds of images. There are many songs out there which are quite explicit, I've written a few myself."

Taane was concerned artists could be entering "pretty scary territory" if they weren't allowed to express themselves freely.

He said he would do what he can to "resolve this positively" when he appears in Tauranga District Court on Friday.