Photo:
Seven people attended the Waitakere District Court on charges of aggression as part of a police investigation in a protest during the Pride Festival last month.
The group, linked to the Destiny Church, was in court about interrupting a children’s event at the Te Atatu Library on February 15.
The defendants appeared individually before the Felella Thomas community magistrate. The younger person accused is 19 years old.
About 20 supporters were denied the entrance to the court under a directive of the magistrate.
Defense lawyer Bridget Lawler requested the provisional suppression of names for all defendants, claiming that they had faced threats to their security.
She argued that some had their work and study impacted, including one that was taken from work as a result of the accusations they faced.
Lawler said a defendant was subject to a “hate crime” being investigated by police.
The magistrate refused the suppression of provisional names for six of the accused, saying that he did not find a debatable case, as the protest had been widely covered in the media and social media and that the defendants expose themselves to public scrutiny participating in a protest of this public nature.
One of them was suppressed by the provisional name approved based on his tender age.
However, no one can be appointed, awaiting defense claims to appeal the decision.
None of them entered an appeal, and all were arrested under bail until early April.
The bail conditions included not being 100m from the community center to attack you and not contact any of the complainants.
SUBSCRIBE IN NGā Pytopito Kōrero, A daily bulletin curated by our editors and delivers directly to your inbox every day of the week.
