AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Chaos erupted at a dodgeball tournament in Te Atatū Community Centre as protesters disrupted the event, aiming to shut down a children’s library drag event. The demonstrators, members of Destiny Church’s groups Man Up and Legacy Sisterhood, blocked entrances and used loudspeakers to interrupt the games.
This prompted some youth from the dodgeball teams, including 20-year-old Brooklyn and 16-year-old Christina, to join forces with librarians and pride workers to prevent the protesters from reaching the library.
The situation escalated when the protesters attempted to march upstairs towards the library against instructions to stay out of the privately booked space. A deleted livestream showed two women, one wearing a white cap and the other a black cap, throwing punches at Brooklyn and Christina.
The violence continued with the woman in white holding Brooklyn down while the other woman assaulted Christina. As tensions rose, Destiny Church demonstrators resorted to performing a haka in what was perceived as an attempt to cover up their violent actions.
Christina suffered a concussion from the assault, while Brooklyn sustained bruises to her ribs and arms. Sarah, the mother of the two girls, expressed shock at the level of hatred and bigotry displayed by the protesters. She criticized their actions as fueled by hatred and described the traumatic experience her daughters endured.
In the aftermath of the incident, Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki admitted to giving the green light for the library attack in a sermon, justifying it as a response to what he perceived as the promotion of inappropriate content for children.
While Tamaki defended the protest, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon condemned Destiny Church for going too far, emphasizing the importance of respecting free speech and peaceful protest while maintaining a diverse and inclusive society.
Local authorities, including Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown, police, and council representatives, denounced the actions of Destiny Church, calling them unacceptable and outrageous. The incident sparked a criminal investigation into the alleged assaults, although no arrests have been made yet.
The community remains unsettled by the events that transpired at the Te Atatū Community Centre, underscoring the need for peaceful dialogue and mutual respect in addressing societal issues.