Protest - TFRC and the Tamakis

This coming week has the threat of action against the government with yet another protest organised by Destiny Church and its leaders Brian (variously adorned with the title of Bishop, or Apostle) and Hannah Tamaki.

As you're no doubt aware, Brian has organised a couple of protests in Auckland during lockdown, which earned him two charges from police, and some time in jail, for breaching his previous bail conditions. (Amusingly, Hannah complained Brian was “treated like a prisoner”, which he was!)

Brain is currently bailed, under strict conditions that he comply with COVID-19 level requirements and not attend or organise protests, and not access the internet for the purpose of organising or inciting non-compliance. It would seem that those conditions aren't being strictly enforced.

Destiny Church has an offshoot - The Freedoms and Rights Coalition. It's not clear who the coalition is between though. They have a website which, incidentally, has some awful letter spacing! Quite offensive to the eyes. Anyway, the domain was registered by Jenny Marshall who is Director of Operations at Destiny Church.

The latest action is a protest at Parliament in Wellington on Tuesday 9th November. “It is 9/11 for Adern & the Labour Government” - obviously alluding to September 11 attacks, which is kind of shocking really, and sounds a lot like a threat of domestic terrorism. (David Farrier has a good write up on this with some quite shocking developments.)

They've issued demands which include revoking all workplace vaccination mandates, returning to level 1, and removing the Auckland border.

If the demands aren't actioned they're threatening a “gridlock” involving cars, trucks and tractors blocking roads until their demands are met.

Laughingly, they've suggested

“We will ask Apostle Brian Tamaki and the TFRC [The Freedoms and Rights Coalition] executive team to head up any potential negotiations with the NZ Police and the government”.

Destiny Church has a reputation of being very cash hungry. Obviously, lockdowns and having to run services virtually are affecting their cashflow, which could be why he's referred to as EFTpostle Tamaki.