'Heaven's hit list': Police probe ‘threatening’ Tamaki video targeting multiple people

Author: Herald Reporters,
Publish Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2026, 4:17pm

A video posted by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki is being investigated by police. Photo / Brian Tamaki

Police are investigating a “threatening video” posted by Brian Tamaki, where the Destiny Church leader and his followers target a range of organisations and individuals in what he describes as “heaven’s hit list”.

In a church meeting last night, which was also live-streamed for more than an hour on Facebook, Tamaki and his Destiny Church members spoke out against businesses – including “mainstream media”, politicians, government departments and those they consider to be “evil”.

“Tonight we unleash the strike force from heaven,” Tamaki said in the video caption. “If your organisation or name is on heaven’s hit list, you should repent or have fear of God on you.

“God has now ordered me to use my apostolic authority to unleash the angelic strike-force from heaven on these organisations and people.”

After speaking for about 40 minutes, he ceded the pulpit to his followers, who began to “pray” against a range of organisations and individuals, including labelling the media “sons of Satan”, claiming Prime Minister Christopher Luxon “thinks he’s a god” and praying “in Jesus’ name” to “cut their heads off”.

Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers, of Counties Manukau CIB, confirmed to the Herald police received a report about a “threatening video”.

“The comments were directed towards multiple organisations and people. At this early stage police are making inquiries into its contents. Any reports of threats being made are taken seriously and we will continue to assess these.”

Tamaki this afternoon labelled the meeting and prayers “spiritual warfare”.

He also said he had not been contacted by police about the video.

“Let me be absolutely clear,” Tamaki said, “I have never prayed for a person to be killed.

“I pray for demonic powers within people to be broken, destroyed, cast down and removed. There is a world of difference.

“After more than 30 years of slander, ridicule and attacks against Destiny Church, perhaps it’s time New Zealand realised something: God’s people will not be intimidated into silence.

“This has never been about harming people. It has always been about confronting spiritual darkness through prayer.”

Tamaki had his gun license temporarily suspended in June and his firearms confiscated after incendiary online comments towards other religions.