Stuff Digital Edition

Tamaki kept in custody

Catrin Owen and Ryan Anderson

Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki has spent his first night behind bars after being remanded in custody for 10 days yesterday for allegedly breaching bail conditions by attending a Christchurch protest.

Tamaki is already facing multiple charges of breaching the Covid-19 Public Health Order and breaching bail conditions after attending three demonstrations against vaccine mandates and lockdowns in Auckland. He has pleaded not guilty to the existing charges and to being in breach of his bail conditions by attending and speaking at the Hagley Park ‘‘picnic’’ on January 8.

Yesterday morning, police arrived at his Auckland home, where he was arrested and then taken to Mt Eden Corrections Facility.

In the afternoon, Tamaki appeared via a video link at the Auckland District Court in front of Judge Evangelos Thomas. Much of the hearing cannot be reported due to Bail Act restrictions.

Lawyer Ron Mansfield, acting on behalf of Tamaki, asked for his client to be released ahead of a breach of bail hearing on January 27. Bail was opposed by Matthew

Nathan, acting on behalf of the police. Judge Thomas remanded Tamaki in custody to reappear on January 27. Mansfield told Stuff he would be appealing his client’s remand in custody and would seek an earlier breach of bail hearing.

Earlier yesterday, Tamaki’s wife, Hannah, went live on Facebook saying she expected her husband to be arrested.

Standing next to his wife, Brian Tamaki said he was ‘‘not a criminal’’. ‘‘People keep thinking I am breaching my bail conditions but I have always said I am not guilty.’’

He said it was a gift from God to retain freedom and protest.

‘‘I should never have been charged in the first place,’’ he said.

Police previously confirmed they were investigating the antivaccine mandate rally, held at Hagley Park.

At the rally, Tamaki reportedly addressed the crowd, which was said to be a ‘‘family picnic’’ and not a protest. Tamaki said he did not organise the event and was invited to speak because he was in the city to preach at the Destiny Church service in Cranmer Square.

Under his bail conditions, Tamaki is banned from organising, attending, supporting or speaking at any protest gathering in breach of Covid-19 requirements. He is also prohibited from accessing the internet to incite non-compliance.

In December, Justice Venning allowed Tamaki to enter the Auckland Domain providing it was not on a day when a protest or gathering against Covid-19 restrictions was to take place.

About 150 of Tamaki’s supporters gathered outside Mt Eden Corrections Facility yesterday after the arrest. A Stuff reporter said a large group performed a haka in front of a police roadblock after he was taken inside. Protesters had set up camp for the day, erecting gazebos and taping signs up all around the entrances to the facility.

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https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281603833834042

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