There was a rare scene in New Zealand's parliament this week.
A former Black Power gangster, Eugene Ryder, who filed a petition in Congress on behalf of the Black Power.
He then appeared before a hearing before the Congressional Judiciary Committee, where he brought with him a large number of different patterned clothes.
He then showed each of the clothes and asked the MPs in the room if they could tell which clothes were illegal and which were not.
Legislation to crack down on gangsters has entered a critical period
Now, the legislation to suppress the influence of gangsters has entered a critical period.
The Nationalist coalition government intends to legislate to make the display of gang symbols illegal, which is tantamount to depriving gangs of their right to display gang symbols publicly.
This legislation is met with resistance.
Former gang member Eugene Ryder became the central figure in this petition.
He made a sharp-tongued and witty statement before the Judicial Committee.
He pointed out that the bill does not address the root causes of the increase in the number of gang members, such as poverty, poor housing conditions, etc.
Ryder briefly shared his reasons for joining the gang, saying that he found solace in the gang after being abused during his time in government custody.
He showed the committee members at least three shirts with different logos and challenged them to identify which one was related to the gang, to which no one answered.
It is now illegal to wear clothes with gangster symbols in Congress. Ryder concluded by saying that the gang is willing to engage with the government on these issues.
Ryder said the gang is a "whanau" (big family) for many people.
Subsequently, criticisms of the bill were put forward separately.
The New Zealand Bar Association believes that the bill could have unintended consequences and should be redrafted.
The representative of the association noted that the bill would also have an impact on people who unintentionally wore gangster markers and expressed concern that the bill could infringe on fundamental rights.
儿童事务专员Claire Achmad
Dr. Claire Achmad, Congressional Commissioner for Children's Affairs, also urged the Judiciary Committee to carefully consider the bill's impact on young people.
She quoted a young man who tried to illustrate the complexities of joining a gang.
"If I leave the gang, I leave my family. ”
Julia Spelman, co-convenor of the Māori Law Society, said the bill would exacerbate tensions between gangs and police, making it harder for people to leave the gangs.
Spelman said the powers given to the police under the bill could lead to blatant racial discrimination, exacerbating systemic racial discrimination.
"As a result, Māori will be at an even greater disadvantage. ”
总之，周二的会议上，《黑帮立法修正案》（The Gang Legislation Amendment Bill）受到多方严厉指责。
Many participants said that the root causes of crime and gang membership should be addressed, and that prohibition alone would not solve the problem.
Minister of Justice: Resolutely push for this legislation
On the side of the support of the law, it is now mainly the government and the police association.
Police Association President Chris Cahill told the Judiciary Council that the police support the bill, as well as the government's overall approach at the rule of law level, as the growing number of gang members is causing harm to society.
警察协会主席Chris Cahill
In the face of pressure and criticism, Police Minister Mark Mitchell today once again took a strong stance and resolutely pushed for legislation banning gang symbols.
Police Minister Mark Mitchell said the gangsters thought they were above the law and the government wanted to send a clear signal to them that they weren't.
"We want to put as much pressure on the gang as we can," Mitchell said. ”
Mark Mitchell was unfazed by critics' concerns about the difficulty in identifying what a gangster badge, color, or symbol was.
He said he would be aware of the views, but the government was committed to implementing the ban and was confident that it would be able to do so.
In addition, the Minister of Justice of New Zealand has also stated that he will not start a dialogue with the gangsters on this issue.
Things are actually a little stiff,
This is the National Party's efforts to suppress the gangster forces,
One of the most important links,
Even if it can't be banned completely,
also has a high symbolic meaning,
The reason why it is so difficult to ban the gang logo is not because of the large number of gangs themselves, but because there are many people speaking for them throughout the New Zealand power system.
These people, from human rights organizations to the media to politics, form a complete network of leftist blockades to realize their ideals here.