Summarised by Centrist
Brian Tamaki, leader of Destiny Church, won a landmark legal case as charges against him and his wife, Hannah Tamaki, for breaching lockdown rules during anti-mandate protests were dismissed by the Auckland District Court.
“The New Zealand Bill of Rights was the winner,” Tamaki told Rebel News’ Avi Yemeni.
Tamaki said the case demonstrated the importance of standing firm against perceived government overreach and the ruling reaffirms citizens’ rights to protest and free speech, even under emergency conditions.
The court’s decision came mid-trial after the defence presented evidence of a meeting between Tamaki and police at the protests’ onset.
Tamaki claimed the police had upheld his right to protest during that meeting, which undermined the prosecution’s argument.
The outcome follows three years of legal and public challenges for Tamaki, including a brief imprisonment he called “illegal.” While he expressed no regrets about his actions, Tamaki reflected on the difficulties of facing public criticism and isolation during the ordeal.
Tamaki believes it will embolden more people to join protests in the future, saying, “We’ve disempowered the government to exact legislation to stop our rights and freedoms.”
Hear the whole interview over on YouTube
