14/02/2024
Location: Britomart Square
Incident Type: Zionist breaking into the crowd and causing intimidation.
Day & Date: Sunday, 11/02/2024
Time: 15:55
Duration: 3-5 minutes
Event: Bang Pot Rally - PSNA/PYA
At 15:55, a male aged late 30s to mid-40s entered from the North side of the square, shouting repeatedly, “Go Israel, Go Israel. You are all terrorists.” I approached him safely, positioning myself as the focal point to ensure everyone’s safety, given the potential escalation and risk of harm. I promptly asked him to leave and refrain from engaging with the crowd, emphasizing the inappropriateness of his behavior for the setting. Despite my request, he continued to engage, raising his voice and using profane language, including “F*ck off back to your country.” Maintaining composure, I reminded him of the presence of children and families and requested respectful language. However, he persisted in his disruptive and intimidating conduct, refusing to leave and pushing through the crowd while swearing and shouting. In response to his continued aggression, I firmly instructed him to depart, emphasizing that his behavior and language were unacceptable. Concurrently, the Kaiāwhina team intervened, facilitating his safe removal from the crowd. Subsequently, a police officer approached the individual, engaging in conversation before allowing him to depart without further inquiry into his actions. Notably, despite the presence of four police officers stationed near Boss Store, where the individual entered, they refrained from intervention, observing as I deescalated the situation, prioritizing community safety despite personal risk. I express disappointment in the handling of the situation by the police and expect more effective enforcement in such instances requiring immediate intervention.
Alsharief Aldawi,
Kaiāwhina team member,
PYA member
