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Tiki Taane arrested after chanting 'F*** the police' at gig

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Tiki Taane arrested after chanting 'F*** the police' at gig

3News NZ

Tiki Taane

Tiki Taane

By Dan Satherley

Singer Tiki Taane has been charged with disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence to start or continue, after being arrested on the weekend at a show in Tauranga.

He was performing at a bar, Illuminati, on Harrington St at the time.

According to witnesses, Taane began singing 'F**k the police' during an inspection of the club. When police spoke to him afterwards, around 3am, things apparently "got out of hand".

"He was performing at the gig when he was arrested," his sister and manager Nina Taane told sunlive.co.nz.

"We need to work things through with our lawyer around how this plays out, and a lot of that is around bringing the truth to the surface."

Other were also arrested says Ms Taane, including an Illuminati staff member.

"Freedom of speech is a human right," Taane wrote on his website. "All our love and thorts are with everyone who attended the Tauranga gig last nite and in particular those who were present early hours this morning ... we sincerely hope you are all ok please contact us via holla@tikidub.com if you need anything in relation to what occurred... arohanui and bless."

Taane is the former lead singer of dub group Salmonella Dub, and has had a successful solo career since splitting with the band, including massive hit 'Always On My Mind'.

Taane will appear in Tauranga District Court on Friday

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Comments

28/04/2011 6:25:30 p.m.

tommy wrote:

Now if someone was up there singing fuck the moari i bet everyone would be up in arms. Singing fuck the police is not freedom of speech, its abuse of freedom of speech to totally disrespect the police. They do a job that is extremely hard with little thanks. Everyone hates them until they need their help.

12/04/2011 11:45:40 p.m.

Doi wrote:

Tiki Cuz, I thought N.Z was a democratic place. Obviouslly not bro, Good on you, Kia-kaha!

12/04/2011 11:50:34 a.m.

Jen wrote:

Freedom of speech is great isn't it? As long as your'e not the one being offended.

12/04/2011 10:56:00 a.m.

Ruz wrote:

It seems to me that the Police may have misused their considerable powers of arrest. The lyrics may be offensive to some (obviously the Police) but it would be drawing a long bow to suggest that in 2011 the words of a song could or would result in violence

12/04/2011 8:22:13 a.m.

baz wrote:

...was just a song - ok fair enough maybe the cops just wanted to give him a tune up. You can call the cops every name under the sun but you'll be the first one to call them when the sh#t goes down...

12/04/2011 12:56:53 a.m.

Bridget wrote:

Gotta say, if all the guy did was shout obscene things about the police - well, that's not very nice and I can't say I approve, and it isn't a good thing to do as a role model, but the flipside of that is we don't want blind obedience to the police or any authority, it isn't the individuals who have the power, it's their job to enforce the laws that are decided by the people - or rather by the people elected by the people - not that politicians are all that trustworthy it would seem. Police are paid to serve the law and the people, including the ones they don't like, or who say nasty words. It's not nice to say things like that, but I don't think that's grounds to arrest him. I mean, I've had people abuse the hell out of me and worse and seen it done to others and they weren't arrested, or even cautioned, and the police have been notified in some cases, yet they chose to do nothing (including give a warning), why do they get special protections. And more importantly, wouldn't their time be better spent worrying about all the bigger crimes? Police didn't even bother to attend the last three times my car was broken into, even when the people who did it left behind the tools they used to break in (could have had fingerprints for a start). The police are part of the groups pushing for far more powers not just for police but for other groups, using large scale crime as a justifying factor, yet they're spending their time focusing on stuff like this? Doesn't add up. Cops are paid to be representatives of the law, and freedom of speech is a grounding principle of any truly democratic society how much that term is misused, misunderstood and outright abused.

12/04/2011 12:34:52 a.m.

John Balmoral wrote:

New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 No 109 (as at 03 September 2007), Public Act Contents › Part 2 Civil and political rights 14 Freedom of expression Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and opinions of any kind in any form. And that folks is all he needs to do to trot out as his defence. Freedom of Speech is an American Term. We use Freedom of Expression in NZ - much wider. Singing a song by NWA from 20 years ago is hardly radical. Was standing next to a Police Officer in 1992 at PE/Ice T concert at AKLD Town Hall as Ice T sang Cop Killer. Lyrics probably worse than FTP. Ice T was not arrested.

11/04/2011 10:15:23 p.m.

Kelly wrote:

What a douche! he has totally lost my respect..... Your a role model Tiki start acting like one.

11/04/2011 10:06:13 p.m.

noko wrote:

Dave Dobbyn was arrested for less

11/04/2011 7:27:42 p.m.

pighunter wrote:

haha you guys need 2 take a look at how the police march around high headed pushing there way threw people get a life people an give tiki a break people blaze tht song up on there stereos F**k the police by NWA they should go arrest the artist of tht band the club was shut 2 everyone yet the police think they can just walse in FTP all day i say