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Members of the organisation Christians for Peace in Palestine are today, September 15, staging a sit-in protest at the local electorate offices of Pakuranga MP and Health Minister Simeon Brown and Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
Those taking part in the protest action have posted updates to the group’s social media.
At 11.46am they posted a video of police officers arriving at Brown’s office in Pakuranga Road.
“Christian clergy risk arrest at National Minister’s office calling for sanctions on Israel,” the organisation says.
“As Cabinet likely prepares to meet this afternoon to decide the question of whether to recognise Palestinian statehood, 10 Christian priests and pastors are currently staging prayerful sit-ins at the offices of senior Cabinet members calling on the New Zealand Government to go further and sanction the state of Israel.
“In Johnsonville, five Anglican priests and one Catholic priest are currently praying at the door of the electorate office of Finance Minister Nicola Willis, while in Pakuranga, two Anglican Priests, and two Baptist pastors are praying inside the office of Health Minister Simeon Brown.
“The Christian leaders are refusing to leave until they receive a timeframe on when the Government will implement sanctions against Israel, risking arrest.
“Police have already been called to Simeon Brown’s office to remove the clergy.”
At 12.55pm, the group posted online that two of the clergy taking part in the protest at Brown’s Pakuranga office had been trespassed and another two had been escorted from the building by police.
Brown’s office has been contacted for comment.
