Scapegoated Firearms Licence Holders Take to Streets Again in Ashburton - Ahead of Participating in Unprecedented
Political Shift, in Upcoming Election
Aggrieved members of the Firearms Community - from all over Canterbury and beyond - will once again take to the streets
of Ashburton in good numbers this Saturday, 8th August. They continue to protest against the government’s Firearms Law
Firearms – that unfairly, unreasonably and unjustifiably scapegoat the innocent.
“We said we won’t just roll over and go away .. and we won’t. In fact, our aim is to keep quietly turning up the volume
– until we are properly heard. We’re in this for the long haul. The lawful and legitimate way of life that centres
around Firearms, in this country – is part of the very fabric of our nation. It’s fundamental to the egalitarian heart
of our country. Hundreds of thousands of Kiwi’s have fought in two world wars – and tens of thousands have died - to
protect the freedom that we all hold so dear, and take so much for granted. We believe these brave soldiers will be
turning over in their graves .. just about every last one of them .. at the way in which are democracy, and our
democratic due process, has been abused.”
“We’re fit and proper people – who have passed the highest test applied to civilians like us, in the country - so we
have no intention of being unlawful. That doesn’t mean we can’t exercise our lawful right to protest. And it doesn’t
mean we can’t quietly continue to turn up the volume, to be heard.”
“Last time, we used a Tank in our Protest. Some people may not have got this – but we used the Tank as a symbol of our
indefatigable resolve - and to reflect the struggles in the past to keep our country free. Lest We Forget. Who knows
what we will use as symbolism this time? We may not even know ourselves, yet...”
“Our previous two Protest Street Marches held in Ashburton have been the two largest held in the country, to date. We
expect this weekend’s Protest to be no different.”
“As Firearms Licence Holders we believe we will make a very real .. and very noticeable .. difference, in the upcoming
and future Elections.”
“Studies have shown it only takes 3% of voters, to create a political swing. As Firearms Licence Holders, we are 5% of
the population – and 10% of the vote. Together with our supporters – we are more like 20% of the community – with this
percentage being much higher, in grass-roots and rural New Zealand”, a spokesperson said.
“We hold more than $5 billion dollars worth of recreational assets – and we spend $350 - $450 million dollars each year.
This is domestic spending that – particularly after Covid-19 – our economy desperately needs.”
“Firearms Licence Holders do more for population management of wild, introduced species – than any other voluntary group
in this country, by far.”
“We are very much just ordinary Kiwi’s. From men, women and youths at grass-roots level – right through to the top of
our largest corporations – Firearms Licence Holders permeate right through our society.”
“We were as shocked and horrified at the Christchurch Mosque Shootings, as everybody else. But for our government to
turn upon and scapegoat us .. a significant yet innocent minority .. for the actions of one foreign madman our Police
let through the net .. remains extremely disappointing.”
“We have always agreed there were some laws and regulations that needed changing. Indeed, we had been asking for this,
for years before the Christchurch tragedy. We have always wanted and asked to be a consultative part of bringing about
those changes. But we were disappointed to have been politically steam-rolled, through abuse of our democratic due
processes. This has resulted in a strong sense our freedoms, rights and civil liberties have been overtrodden. The end
result – is now we feel aggrieved. And as aggrieved people – we have no intention of going away. We owe this much .. to
our children, and our grandchildren. It’s not just our way of life we’re seeing attacked – it’s theirs too.”
“New Zealand already had some of the best and most effective Firearms laws in the world – given our globally high rates
of firearms ownership - and they just needed a few tweaks. Mostly, the problems we have seen are about the ability of
our NZ Police to administer and police our laws .. and to target the people that are at the centre of causing the
problems. That is not us – and to target us with law changes is just plain wrong.”
“New Zealand’s situation is globally unique. The wildlife we hunt is all introduced – and it was brought here for
recreational pursuit. All of these species require population management – and that’s what we do. Week in, week out ..
month in, month out .. year in, year out. If we didn’t do what we do – it would cost millions of dollars of taxpayer
money, to achieve the same result.”
“The tens of millions of hours of recreational activity that Firearms support is vital to our cultural, social, mental,
physical, spiritual and economic wellbeing – and we will not stand by and watch this being politically attacked and
eroded – for practically nothing.”
“Firearms Licence Holders that have been unfairly, unreasonably, and unjustifiably scapegoated include sports shooters,
and collectors. There is very little justification for the action that has been taken against us. Our politicians have
told us they must act to make New Zealand safer – but we know better than anybody, this simply has not happened. If
anything – what’s been done has made New Zealand less safe.”
“We are part of an undenial political swing, that is occurring. The support previously held by some political parties
will suffer – and others will gain – based on the support or otherwise they have shown us.”
“Whether we achieve the political result we would like to see in this election, or not – there is always the next
election. We understand we are playing a political long game.”
“Our Protest Street March will be addressed by our greatest spokesperson. Nicole McKee – previously the well-known
spokesperson for COLFO (the Council of Licenced Firearms Owners) – is now standing for the ACT Party as a List
Candidate. As No.3 on ACT’s List – Nicole is a shoe-in to become a member of Parliament, in our upcoming General
Election.”
“Nicole is one of us – and we very much look forward to seeing her in parliament as an MP, after this Election.”
For more information, follow this link:
Protest venue: Ashburton
Protest Date: Saturday, 8th August, 2020
Gathering Place: Ashburton RSA, 12 Cox St, Ashburton
Gathering Time: 10:00am (followed by welcoming address)
March Start Time: 11:00am (approx.)
March Finish Time: 12:00noon (approx. – followed by address by Nicole McKee)