VIDEO: Harawira arrested at housing protest

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VIDEO: Harawira arrested at housing protest

3News NZ

Hone Harawira (AAP)

Hone Harawira (AAP)

Mana Party leader Hone Harawira says he was just sitting in his car listening to music when police smashed a window and pulled him out amidst an Auckland protest over state housing cuts.

The Te Tai Tokerau MP was arrested late on Thursday night alongside seven others after about 40 protesters tried to stop a state house being moved from Glen Innes to Mt Wellington.

Several protesters were on the house's roof and in its ceiling.

Harawira reportedly parked over the driveway of the house being removed.

Police smashed the back window of his car to pull him out.

Mr Harawira says he doesn't believe he was breaking the law.

"I was only parked in the car, listening to some music, supporting the people who were up on the houses and the police chose to break the window and arrest me," he told Radio New Zealand.

He said he didn't go to Glen Innes to get arrested or debate the law, and he did not know if he would do the same thing again.

It was unclear what the charges against him were.

Mr Harawira says those involved in the protest are heroes, "on behalf of New Zealanders who are opposed to the destruction of state housing all around the country".

Housing New Zealand is removing 156 state homes from Glen Innes and replacing them with 260 high density homes and apartments as part of the Tamaki Transformation Project.

Mr Harawira says the agency has no plans for the families living in those houses.

"All they're doing is knocking down their homes, or picking their homes up and removing them from the territory. They don't have any plans to house these people, they only have plans to sell up the land to their property developer mates."

Meanwhile, Mr Harawira wrote on his Facebook page that he was heading to Kaikohe on Friday morning "for a real breakfast" with beneficiary Sam Kuha, who is ending a 30-day hunger strike after Social Development Minister Paula Bennett agreed to meet him and discuss his problems.

Mr Kuha began his hunger strike after being told he had received three food grants and wasn't getting another until he sought budgeting advice - although there was a two-week waiting list.

In a statement, Mana Party president John Minto said it was a peaceful protest, and those taking part were heroes.

"They have laid their bodies on the line against the might of the government who are determined to evict people from their homes," he said.

"Hone has been involved for some time standing alongside a community that is against the Government acting on behalf of private developers that want to rip the heart out of their community...

"The Government is simply adding stress to the lives of people who are already struggling to make ends meet."

NZN / 3 News

 

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Comments

15/10/2012 9:20:09 a.m.

Gabriel wrote:

I live in G.I. and in my street alone there are at least 15-20 properties that have been re-located in the past few months alone. It has changed the whole dynamics of our street and has virtually destroyed our community. There has been an empty lot next door to my home which had its house removed and has been vacant for well over 8 months now and as far as I know there is nothing in the "pipeline" to have anything done to the section.

I have seen many of the protestors at a lot of house removals doing exactly the same thing everytime, standing up and voicing thier concern and each time there is always a police presence. So why was there so many officers allocated to attend this protest? (There at least 4-5 paddie wagons, 6 units and at least 2 "D's"). Surely there is better things that these resources could have been assigned to.

@ Kim: I agree with there should be more housing as Auckland is rapidly growing at an alarming rate but when those homes are made availible they will be priced so far out of a lot of peoples range that they won't be able to afford to rent or buy them.

What I have seen is that families have been moved out of the G.I. area into the Panmure/Mt Wellington areas. What will happen once the Government has finished with the "Tamaki Development Project" and move onto those areas? Will those families affected by this re-location be hit once more and be further displaced? Food for thought...

12/10/2012 9:21:47 p.m.

At least Hone's an honest John wrote:

Breaking his car window sounds illegal. I reckon there's a case for taking the police to court. Hone could have bucket loads of support from disgruntled low income voters right now, hope he can see that many people want to support him but are seeking an assurance he'll work to breach the growing race-based divide that's been eroding this nation.

12/10/2012 9:21:25 p.m.

Kim wrote:

Surely taking 156 homes to replace with
260 is the better option. There is a need in society for more houses, this is a better way to fund them when you have no money. Auckland has a strategy of further housing intensification.

I note the comment "knocking down their homes" and while I understand that everybody has an attachment to their house, the state must do what is best for the many, not the few. The tenatns here, like any other renter, do not belong to the occupier - even though the state allows people to stay long term, many of whom believe they have ownership rights to the home eventually.

Please continue to reallocate our stretched resources to benefit more people. That is what our society is supposed to do - surely?

12/10/2012 6:40:09 p.m.

the DR wrote:

hone. Confucius once said is better to to be thought a full than conform it by your actions he was clearly a more intelligent man than you

12/10/2012 6:29:00 p.m.

Native wrote:

@ native also: this will pass completely over your head, but here goes. The coloniser appropriates, this is the nature of coloniser. Having taken the land and its resources it now looks for more things to take. Now the coloniser wants to take my indigenaity. Call yourself whatever you like but so long as you continue to deny my history in this land you will be forever a coloniser

12/10/2012 3:21:01 p.m.

ALSO NATIVE wrote:

@ Michael Morris - The problem with your statement is that the hyper rich people you're talking about don't pay taxes. They get around it with tax loopholes and off shore accounts. It is the hard working middle class of NZ that keep this country going, and it is the very same people who pay for these selfish bludgers to sit on that land, which if sold, could make enough money to house 3 more families. Doesn't take a genius to figure it out. @ Native - I'm white, and my family has been here for 200 years. I was born here. That makes me 'native'. But you know what? This is an island. There is no race on earth that is native to NZ. The only things that have that claim to fame are our wildlife and trees. Grow up.

12/10/2012 2:35:47 p.m.

David wrote:

This time enter a criminal conviction against him to make travelling outside the country nigh on impossible. He wants to show solidarity, keeping him in NZ and giving him the opportunity to participate all protests will do this. He has no need to travel overseas - especially at the taxpayers expense.

12/10/2012 12:53:30 p.m.

jan wrote:

Obstruction, possibly resisting arrest, being unlawfully on a property. The police will probably drop the charges later, but they did it to remove you from the area. Thats one of the minor sneaky bits of law the cops have. If you refused to give your name and address they would also arrest you, despite fully knowing who you are, thats the petty law for you.

12/10/2012 12:29:53 p.m.

Jonno wrote:

Cannot believe all the hate being directed at Hone for doing something noble. Must be all the John Key supporters that are still left looking to vent their frustration. No really, anyone wailing on Hone for this is pathetic and needs to get a life. Good on you Hone, keep up the good work of showing up the greed of property developers and the govt who doesnt care about the poor and disadvantaged in this country.

12/10/2012 12:11:26 p.m.

Judy wrote:

I get quite sick of Hone.... but not this time. Stick with it bro.