ANZ’s Ponsonby bank branch, an ATM in Mt Eden and the Ponsonby Police Station have both had pink paint hurled at them overnight. The anonymous group Queers Against Injustice, which says it threw paint over ANZ’s Ponsonby Rd GAYTM last week, is claiming responsibility for the fresh vandalism. Picture: ANZ/Twitter. It says it’s continuing to “draw attention to the acts of ‘pinkwashing’ that these institutions we have targeted are complicit in.” Its explanatory note, left at the scene of the ANZ attack, cites examples of pinkwashing as Israel using a pro-lgbt stance to distract attention from its military occupation of Palestine. “We see it in Aotearoa when corporations (such as ANZ) strategically use gay-friendly marketing to increase profits by exploiting their workers’ rights. An ATM in Mt Eden has also been doused with pink paint. Picture: Preston O'Brien. It also says a protestor being injured while being removed from the Auckland Pride Parade route on Saturday is an example of pinkwashing. “Furthermore, we have the deepest respect for the gains made by the lgbtqia struggle, yet do not believe the identity should be used to enable and distract from the same discrimination and oppression outside and within the community. “We seek the eradication of pinkwashing practices, the de-corporatisation of Pride, and discourse concerning how true change can be brought about beyond tokenistic ‘diversity’ and ‘tolerance.’” ANZ says it’s a “shame people resort to vandalism to make a statement”. It adds its lgbti and straight staff alike are “gutted”. The immediate reaction from GayNZ.com readers on our Facebook page has been anger.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 24th February 2015 - 9:37am