Summarised by Centrist
Destiny Church-linked group Man Up staged a protest at the Wellington Pride Parade, briefly blocking the event with a haka. At the same time, police maintained a separation between the group and parade attendees.
The demonstration follows backlash over previous Auckland Pride protests, including an incident at a drag event for children.
Critics accused Man Up of intimidation, while Destiny leader Brian Tamaki defended the group, saying they were “making a stand to protect our children.”
Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau condemned the group as “not welcome” and accused them of spreading hate and bigotry, but noted that most attendees were unaware of the protest.
Following the Auckland incidents, police cut ties with Destiny’s Man Up and Legacy rehabilitation programmes, which work with men overcoming domestic violence and addiction.
Tamaki now says he will lead a delegation to Parliament to challenge public funding for Pride events and push for greater recognition of parents’ rights and community values.
