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Kyle Chapman
A far right Christchurch group has taken its anti-Asian campaign
to Auckland to recruit new members, leader Kyle Chapman says.
The Right Wing Resistance has been circulating flyers in areas with
high Asian populations like Pakuranga, Howick and Northcote.
The leaflets claim an Asian invasion is taking place.
The former National Front head told Radio New Zealand earlier
today that the pamphlet drop was primarily to recruit new
members.
"It is to seek out people who are like minded like us, to come and
join us and help out with campaigns that we are working on," he
said.
"Secondly, the way we created the flyer is to make sure it's in
people's faces, to get people talking about it.
"We are sick of this issue getting swept under the carpet all the
time."
But Massey University sociologist Paul Spoonley disputes that claim.
"The intent is to stir up some publicity, there is no intent to
recruit," he told Morning Report.
Spoonely says although the group is small, they do need to be
monitored to avoid them getting any bigger.
"They are a concern, they are a white supremacist, their website
makes that clear," he said.
He says the flyer "evokes a very strong image of these white
supremacist groups overseas and here."
Spoonley says the Right Wing Resistance group has 42 Facebook
members, who are mainly skinheads.
He says they have been around a couple of years, mainly in
Christchurch but are now expanding to Auckland.
Chapman agrees that people will be offended by the pamphlet.
"But that's okay because it's a free country and we have a right to
our freedom of choice and our beliefs," he said.
"The more people complain the more we will do it because we can see
it's being effective."
He says the group created the campaign because they are
"frightened".
"That's what the point of what it's about. We a scared by them, we
are scared of Asian crime gangs," he said,
Police are concerned the campaign could lead to racially motivated
violence.
Asian liaison officer Raymond Wong says police won't hesitate to
prosecute anyone who commits or incites any form of violence,
especially if it is racially motivated.
- with Newstalk ZB
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