JUSTICE FOR BILLY TE KAHIKA & VINNY EASTWOOD

 On March the 30th, Billy Te Kahika and Vinny Eastwood were sentenced to 4 - and 3-months imprisonment respectively, for their attendance at a peaceful Lockdown Protest outside the TVNZ building in Auckland on August the 18th, 2021.

  Their sentencing was unjustifiable for a number of reasons, including that their right to protest is protected under the NZ Bill of Rights, that rules and policies inconsistent with the NZ Bill of Rights are illegal, that NZ and other commonwealth courts have consistently upheld the right to protest, [1], that their protest was extremely peaceful and that the Covid Lockdowns were found to be harmful to NZ, [2].

  We question why thousands of protesters gathered around NZ on June 1st 2020, forBlack Lives Matter marches, where COVID-19 social-distancing and mass-gathering rules were flouted, yet no one was charged with breaking the law? [3,4].   Where is the consistency?

  Furthermore, the ongoing fear-mongering by government and media about COVID is not a reason to undermine their fundamental rights and freedoms, particularly when it is widely understood that "COVID" is equivalent to a common cold.

   In Billy and Vinny's case, the Court displayed a dismissive approach to the rule of law, constitutional conventions, and fundamental rights and freedoms, that generations of New Zealanders have fought for.

  We believe that these two warriors fundamental rights are not being respected, as they are a threat to the powers-that-be, as they are effective in their fight for truth & freedom for us all.  

  Billy and Vinny are appealing their convictions and sentences and have been granted bail.

  We ask that you please show your support for their appeals by signing & sharing this petition.

Thank-you and regards.

References:

1. The Prime Minister's right to protest was respected. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2022/02/political-irony-speaker-trevor-mallard-and-covid-19-minister-chris-hipkins-historic-arrests-make-it-hard-to-trespass-protesters.html

2. A Snap Shot of Covid-19 and Economic Statistics in NZ at the End of 2021,

https://hatchardreport.com/a-snap-shot-of-covid-19-and-economic-statistics-in-nz-at-the-end-of-2021/

3. Coronavirus: Black Lives Matter protests breached COVID-19 rules, NZ could move to alert level 1 next week - Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/06/coronavirus-black-lives-matter-protests-breached-covid-19-rules-nz-could-move-to-alert-level-1-next-week-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern.html

4. Police considered charging Black Lives Matter march organisers, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/427077/police-considered-charging-black-lives-matter-march-organisers