WELLINGTON: The Independent Police Conduct Authority has written to Wellington-based Richard Noble, apologising for threatening to arrest him for waving a banner in peaceful protest at an Ataturk Turkish Memorial in April 2022, reported the Armenian National Committee of New Zealand (ANC-NZ).
Noble, a 53-year-old New Zealand resident who has a history of activism for Armenian Genocide recognition in New Zealand, was threatened with arrest for trespassing by local Wellington police for displaying a banner that read “Recognise Armenian Genocide” at last year’s Anzac Day service in Wellington.
Noble confirmed that he waived similar banners in 2017 and 2018, however in 2022, he was threatened with arrest for trespassing.
Council Chief Executive Barbara McKerrow, from Wellington City Council, had delegated trespass authority to the local police authorities prior to the event, which has since been revoked after the Independent Police Conduct Authority addressed the complaint from Noble.
Noble provided ANC-NZ with an apology letter from the Independent Police Conduct Authority Police, which said: “Police accept that the officer's comments to you about trespass were wrong and had the effect of preventing you from undertaking lawful protest activities. The Authority has agreed with the Police that they will contact you to apologise for the way you were dealt with.”
The letter further stated that Wellington Police officers would receive revised training that better educates them about their powers and what is expected of them in regard to protests.
ANC-NZ Chairperson Hoory Yeldizian welcomed the statement from the Independent Police Conduct Authority as a victory for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
Yeldizian said: "While the Armenian-New Zealand community was initially disturbed by the flagrant violation of Mr Noble's right to lawful protest by Wellington Police, it was heartening to read their apology letter and see them confess to the clear error they made."
"In democratic countries like New Zealand, the right to lawful and peaceful protest should be respected absolutely. Dictator of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan has no right to export his genocide denial tactics to free and fair countries like New Zealand. The Wellington Police made an error by threatening Mr Noble, and clearly, they're aware of it and have since corrected it,” Yeldizian added.
“We thank Mr Noble for his longstanding solidarity and advocacy in our community’s battle to have New Zealand recognise the Armenian Genocide.”
