New Zealand Considering Law to Ban Protests Near Private Homes

Critics fear that the Bill fails to define the areas in which protests would be prohibited, and could lead to overreach.
New Zealand Considering Law to Ban Protests Near Private Homes
People march down Queen Street in protest in Auckland, New Zealand, on June 8, 2024. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images
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New Zealand’s Parliament is considering a bill that would outlaw people who hold targeted and disruptive demonstrations near residential homes.

However, critics say that, in failing to define details such as how close to a home a protest would need to be to trigger the offence, it risks abridging free speech and could be used to shut down protests outside places like embassies.

Rex Widerstrom
Rex Widerstrom
Author
Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.