During the annual Sikh parade in Tauranga today, members of True Patriots of NZ, a group linked to Destiny Church, performed a haka facing some participants.
The parade, which began at 11 a.m. on 11 January at the Gurudwara Sikh Sangat temple, celebrated the birth of the 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Police were on site as the haka was performed, with members of True Patriots linking arms and chanting in front of a banner reading, “This is New Zealand not India.” Officers told The Indian Weekender that their presence was to ensure public safety and maintain order.
A Facebook video shared by Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki featured the haka, with captions stating,
“WHOSE STREETS? KIWI STREETS.”
“The True Patriots Are Not Backing Down.”
“Today in Tauranga, our True Patriots answered the Sikh Parade with a haka…not violence, not silence, but peaceful defiance. Our chant rang out across our streets: ‘Whose streets? OUR streets. Whose streets? KIWI streets,” the video caption added.
Puran Singh, president of Gurudwara Sikh Sangat and one of the
parade organisers, told The Indian Weekender that the Nagar Kirtan did not take place at the same location where the haka was performed.
“It was a bit far,” he said.
He noted the haka was performed about one kilometre from the Gurudwara around 1:00 p.m.
The Parade continued smoothly after the haka ended, according to Singh.
“This was the twelfth annual Sikh Parade in Tauranga, and it takes place on a very large scale,” he said.
“These parades are not just a celebration but also a time for the community to be more aware, as immigration advisers, health camps, and even ACC benefits are shared with those attending the gathering,” Singh added.
“The youngsters participating in the parade were cooperative with the police,” he said, noting that large community events like this require public consent and council permissions, a process that typically takes five to six months.
“The council and police have always been extremely helpful during our events,” Singh said.
He also cautioned the public to “be wary of misinformation on social media.”
Singh emphasised that once the haka concluded, there was no escalation or disruption.
Inspector Christopher Summerville of the Māori Pacific Ethnic Service, Bay of Plenty Police in a statement said that “Officers on site intervened immediately, ensuring the parade concluded safely."
"Additional patrols remain in the area to provide visibility and reassurance for the Sikh community,” Inspector Christopher Summerville added.
No arrests were made at the event.
This is the second such incident involving the group in less than a month.
In December, members of True Patriots of NZ blocked a road during a Nagar Kirtan procession organised by the Sikh community at the Nanaksar Sikh Temple in Manurewa, South Auckland.
The procession included hundreds of participants walking about five kilometres along Great South Road, with the confrontation occurring as the parade returned to the temple.
Footage shared on 20 December by Brian Tamaki showed True
Patriots of NZ wearing “Keep NZ NZ” T-shirts, performing a haka on one side of the road while Nagar Kirtan participants stood a few metres away.
“Today, True Patriots stood their ground in South Auckland. No violence. No riots. Just my young men performing a haka…face-to-face…to send a clear message: KEEP NZ, NZ,” the video caption read.
According to their Facebook page, True Patriots of NZ describe themselves as “Guardians of the Kiwi Way of Life. Defenders of Faith, Flag & Family.” The page also states,
“Join the movement standing against globalism, mass immigration, and woke ideology. We fight for a free, Christian New Zealand — bold, united, and unapologetic.”
Eyewitnesses at the 20 December incident said the situation lasted about 30 minutes, during which police intervened to allow the parade to continue safely.
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