Winston Peters effigy ‘chopped’ in mock guillotine protest against 'racist' comments
An effigy of Winston Peters was given a “metaphoric chop” in a mock guillotine demonstration over the weekend – sparking calls from the Foreign Minister for those involved to be “arrested”.
The Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa organised the demonstration on Saturday to protest against what they claim is “racism” from Peters and New Zealand First.
At the event at Te Komititanga Square in Auckland CBD, a mannequin dressed in a suit with a photo of Peters taped on its face was “given the chop” in a mock guillotine execution, with organisers describing it as “satire” and “political theatre”.
The demonstration included a “trial” that found Peters “guilty of racism and xenophobia” as supporters held “migrant lives matter” signs and waved Palestine and Iran flags.
It comes as Peters faced calls to resign after he told Green MP Lawrence Xu-Nan to “go back to your own country” during a debate speech in the House last week.
In a speech at the event, Migrant Workers Association president Anupam Kaloti called for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to “sack” Peters over his comments.
A Winston Peters effigy was given a "metaphorical chop" during a protest against his "racist" comments. Photo / Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa
“As a migrant and within the migrant community, we’ve had a gutsful of the racism that we see in our everyday day-to-day lives,” she told the crowd.
“What concerns us is, it’s other members of Parliament that they are openly racist towards. If that’s what they can do to their colleagues in Parliament, just imagine what happens in day-to-day life out on the streets in Aotearoa.”
Kaloti also highlighted New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones’ “Mexicans should be sent home” and “butter chicken tsunami” comments as examples of the party’s “racism”.
Speaking to Ryan Bridge TODAY this morning, Peters said he was aware of the protest and said “they should be arrested”.
“These lefties, whenever they get opposed, they turn to violence. This matter should be in the police’s hands right now. They should be being arrested right now. So why don’t we get to see that happen in the so-called responsible society?”
A sign from Saturday's protest reads: "No more racist slop, Winston Peters gets the chop!" Photo / Migrant Workers Association of Aotearoa
Peters doubled down on his comments, saying the actions from the protest showed “the comment I made could not have been too far wrong.”
When contacted by the Herald about Peters’ response, Kaloti said it was “harmless satire” and “if he’s using that as a threat or to scare us, that’s not going to work”.
“It’s a bit of street theatre to put our point across and in a hope to get some engagement with this issue.
“I don’t see we have committed an offence or a crime that we should be arrested for. But we are open if the police want to come and talk to us.”
She said Peters “needs to be sacked” and his comments wouldn’t be tolerated by any other workplace.
“If he was an employee or a CEO of a company or a corporate, they wouldn’t put up with this sort of behaviour. He would have been sacked from his job a long time ago.
“It’s even more embarrassing and shameful for a public servant to conduct himself like this.”
Police have been approached for comment.
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