Auckland Chamber of Commerce chief Michael 'Barmy' Barnett is at it again.
In his role as Santa Parade Board Chairman he has banned the Falun Dafa's marching band from the Santa parade - despite a number of councillors urging Barnett to allow them to take part.
Last year Barnett, a National Party supporter and big on 'individual rights', banned the Falun Dafa because, he claimed, they would hand out pamphlets!
Of course handing out pamphlets is not a crime but Barnett was happy to stomp over the Falun Dafas's basic democratic rights because he expected those pamphlets to contain criticisms of his friends in the Chinese Stalinist regime.
Barmy Barnett though was was being less than honest because he had already recieved a letter from the Falun Dafa agreeing not to distribute any literature.
So he has banned them again this year and for exactly the same reasons.
The Falun Dafa, as is their democratic right, campaigns against the persecution of its members in Stalinist China. The Falun Dafa is a spiritual practice and has been persecuted by the Chinese Stalinist regime for over nine years.
The morally-challenged Barnett calls the Falun Dafa's campaign 'an attack on a country that New Zealand has a relationship with".
A trade relationship that is.
Auckland councillor Cathy Casey says that Barnett is taking his guidance 'from the Chinese Embassy website'.
The Falun Dan are now going to court to fight Barmy Barnett's Santa Parade ban.
looks like a quaint tie and dress this dude exhibits,
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