Billy TK is a religious minister!

Billy Te Hakiha is in the news again. You'll recall that he was recently arrested, with his “partner in crime” Vinny Eastwood, for violating the lockdown, and holding a protest. Billy and Vinny spent some time in jail, but are now out on bail awaiting trial.

The bail conditions prevented them from communicating with each other, and prevented access to the internet.

This past week, they appeared in court (virtually) and BIlly now has limited access to the internet again - because he's a religious minister, and has now been allowed to resume his online “religious sermons”.

I took a quick look at his “sermon” he gave on Friday afternoon as a Facebook Live event (I guess sermons aren't just restricted to Sunday church services anymore!). While referencing the bible, the parts I heard quickly pivoted to “freedoms”.

“And what we're having today in this new type of government system, we have an Egyptian type system… This new Egyptian system, the same system that's in the Bible here, that we're talking about is that's wanting to kill people, restrain them, take away their rights and freedoms is the same type that we have today imposing tyranny on us.”

I think maybe the judge was a little naïve to think that Billy wouldn't use his sermons to just push his conspiracy theories. I wonder whether he'll be monitored as to how he's using these opportunities.