We told them so. The Police admit we were right.

Police Complaints watchdog, the IPCA, announced today that NZ Police violated the rights of protestors in a number of high-profile cases – individuals staunchly supported by the Free Speech Union.

While we welcome the findings of the IPCA Review which acknowledges civil liberties were violated, this is only the first necessary step in combatting law enforcement’s frequently one-eyed approach to speech in this country.

While the IPCA has just acknowledged a systemic problem exists, it now thinks the answer is more ideological police training, more regulation and more public compliance!

As usual, the ‘experts’ have been looking abroad to countries like Canada, Australia and the U.K. for inspiration. Yes, the sort of countries where controversial tweets can get the constabulary to your door faster than an emergency call.

FSU has, with your support, succeeded defending individuals who were unjustly arrested while exercising their lawful free expression.

This includes Lucy Rogers who was wrongfully arrested for holding up a sign in counter-protest to a pro-Palestine march. It seems to us that there were only two possible reasons for this action: either the officers performing the arrest were offended by Lucy’s stance, or they were nervous that the sign might enrage the approaching marchers.

Or how about Daniel Maxwell who was arrested for peacefully counter-protesting at a separate event?

Then there’s Paul Burns, a pro-life advocate who was arrested for the heinous non-crime of engaging publicly in debate! With FSU’s support, Paul was cleared and the Police were left yet again with egg on their face.

Also, in the wake of the shameful treatment of Posie Parker and her supporters in 2023 in Albert Park, it was FSU that, in less than 72 hours, gained over 20,000 signatures on a public letter condemning Police inaction in the face of violence by protestors. We have also, among other things, not let up in our push for changes to name suppression rules for perpetrators like those protestors found guilty of violence toward Parker's group at that event.

Whether it’s cops who subscribe to political correctness, their lack of understanding around fundamental rights, or an undemocratic desire to please the powers that be, NZ Police now need to face facts.

FSU exposed ‘Non-Crime Hate Incident’ training last year and campaigned successfully to have it abandoned. Police eventually backed down, but only because supporters like yourselves backed us.

While we fought hard for those Kiwis I’ve mentioned above, free speech principles are still not clearly understood, observed and protected by NZ authorities. The IPCA Review at least offers us a chance to reset the desperately needed conversation around freedom of expression in New Zealand.

With your support we’ve not only helped save individuals from abuses of Police power, we’ve also succeeded in a major win through this IPCA Review.

I want to thank you for supporting us in this just cause. We will, of course, need your ongoing partnership if we hope to see a return to principled policing in this country.

Our right to peaceful protest depends on it.

Stephen Franks Council Member Free Speech Union www.fsu.nz