The person who barred the bus's way remonstrates with a police officer UPDATED: The start of a transgender rights rally in Auckland was briefly overshadowed by angry scenes as a bus driver was accused of hitting a marcher, something the driver denies, despite witness accounts otherwise. A small group of three people held up traffic in downtown Auckland for about 15 minutes, shouting at the Gray Line bus driver, and angering people trying to travel through the city. Onlookers crowded the footpath with many shouting abuse at the group. The driver had sounded his horn at length at the group of around 120 marchers who were blocking his way, and nudged the bus forward. The small group of protesters and other witnesses at the scene say the driver hit a woman with the vehicle. The marcher was not seriously hurt and had continued her way up Queen St towards Aotea Square with the rally. The bus driver, who is himself gay, denies hitting anyone with the bus, stating “why would I?” He says he has some sympathy with the marchers' cause, but says stopping his vehicle was the action of one small group “and one [person] in particular”. The person responsible for stopping the bus in its tracks is not believed to have been formally involved in the march. They at first claimed to GayNZ.com Daily News that a protester had been "run over" but soon changed their story, then declined to give a name as they left the scene after speaking with police. Police also spoke with the driver but charges are not expected to be laid. The rest of the marchers had meanwhile made their way up Queen St to Aotea Square in a rally calling for the public to reflect on the treatment of transgender people. Bystander Lisa Michelle and a colleague were parked on the side of the street as the marchers went by. “We witnessed the bus closely tailing the marchers, honking continuously, and saw the side mirror, albeit gently, bumping one of our elderly transwoman marchers. “My gut instinct was to punch the bus - I'm okay, as is the bus - and then to manoeuvre the vehicle in between the bus and marchers.” Michelle then followed the marchers up to Aotea Square to provide security, and says the bus driver's behaviour was not ok, regardless of his valid frustration at being slowed by people on the street. One of the march's organisers Jen Shields says she didn't see what happened, but has been told the driver was close to the back end of the rally and kept getting dangerously close. “It sounded like an aggressive situation, but I know the person who was hit made it to Aotea Square fine.” Today's action follows global marches and vigils in memory of Ohio 17-year-old Leelah Alcorn, who took her own life as she struggled with finding support and acceptance of her gender identity. More on the Auckland march, and events in Hamilton and Christchurch, here.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Saturday, 10th January 2015 - 3:09pm