Mon 23 Feb 2015 In: Our Communities View at Wayback View at NDHA
Steven Oates and friends were on a hotel balcony during Saturday night’s Auckland Pride Parade, and witnessed the protest in its entirety. He disputes accounts from the protest group about what happened. (Originally posted on Facebook): Ok so I am gonna put my head on the line here a wee bit, but I feel I need to as this article actually makes me a bit angry. I love my Maori/Pasifika trans sisters and brothers more than anyone and my track record in supporting them speaks for itself. These protesters may have a very valid point and I totally agree that trans people are mistreated by the prison system. I know in the past and probably still today they are mistreated by the police. I totally support them in their fight for equality and justice. However.......this article/press release contains lies. Myself and a bunch of others were across the road watched the whole thing unfold right before us and we watched it from start to end. It did not take 25 minutes for medical help to arrive as stated. Yesterday I read a statement from them stating they did not get medical help for 45 minutes (they have obviously changed their story a bit). St Johns was with them within minutes. I think Paul Rose may have timed it and said it was 11 minutes. To me and others it seemed like about five minutes or even less. St Johns were stationed near by. The young Maori trans woman was not "... noticeably targeted by security" as they have stated. She was being the most aggressive and fighting back when they tried to move her off the road. In no way at all did it seem like any security was like "lets get her coz she is young Maori and trans". This in my personal opinion is totally playing the racist / transphobia card. The protesters where aggressive and defiant. From our view which was directly on to the whole incident not once did any of us think/say that unreasonable force was used from a security or police stand point. They had to be moved off the road and they were refusing to move. So they were physically escorted off. If I were in charge of security / police I would have instructed them to do exactly what they did. Heather Carnegie did not "assault" any of them at any time. She did try to help escort them off the road and she looked like she was a bit pissy that they were sticking an ipad/iphone/camera in her face and filming it so she did grab it and tossed it several meters away. It seemed to me like after they were off the road and settled down she was actually concerned with the wellbeing of the young trans woman and seemed to be checking if she was ok etc. As I mentioned, I support them in what they are fighting for. I absolutely support peoples right to peaceful protest. I totally acknowledge that transphobia is a huge and serious issue, but I don't support these protesters lying in order to get sympathy. Perhaps they can engage with the Pride Festival in a more constructive way next year. March in the parade and publicise their message??? Just a thought. - Steven Oates is a longtime community MC, broadcaster and DJ. Since this was published a numerous other direct witnesses have backed his account. Steven Oates - 23rd February 2015