Wed 12 Jan 2011 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker hopes police can resolve the problem Bob Parker says while there is a "nasty narrow-minded underbelly" his city, it's not something that's exclusive to Christchurch. The Christchurch Mayor is reluctant to comment on the specifics of the case of a local gay couple, who say they have been taunted and attacked to the extent they are closing their business. "It is my experience that there is a nasty narrow-minded underbelly in our city," Parker has told GayNZ.com Daily News. "But that it is not exclusive to Christchurch any more than it is to Auckland or Wellington, both of whom suffer from similar events from time to time, whether its homophobia, xenophobia, or just unacceptable drunken and violent behaviour." Dave Zelton and his partner moved their bakery and food delivery service to a Hoon Hay store after the September 4 quake restricted access to their inner-city site. Zelton has told The Press a family and the family's friends have targeted the couple after they opened their shop, taunting them from outside the store. "They've yelled at customers outside our shop, saying `Don't go in there', calling us faggots," he told the paper. He says store windows had also been broken, while the couple's home and car had been damaged. Parker says prejudice of any kind is a reflection on the person who has the prejudice, not on those subject to this ignorant behaviour. He says on the basis of the story in The Press, he feels sad "for all of those great people, gay or straight, who make Christchurch a wonderful city in which to live, but whose efforts are undermined by a small minority of stupid people". The Mayor says Zelton and his partner have his sympathy. "Life is rarely fair, but to be displaced by the earthquake and then reportedly subjected to the sort of intolerance they have had to face is more trauma than any member of our community should ever have to face. "I hope the police are able to resolve this problem, and if laws have been broken, then justice must be seen to prevail." Christchurch police say a teenager was arrested a number of weeks ago for breaking a window, while a community constable has been mediating a dispute between the couple and residents.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 12th January 2011 - 1:59pm