Section 14

Metiria Turei has made her opinion clear in a FrogBlog article (”Fashion laws to combat violence“) on Chester Borrows proposed gang patch ban.

Borrows said that a ban on patches and insignia will mean that people walking the street won’t be scared. But looking scary is entirely subjective and shouldn’t be a crime.

The proposed ban will simply turn our cops into real Fashion Police, but wont stop the majority of ‘gang’ violence that happens in our towns.

Wanganui District Council’s last attempt to pass a bylaw banning gang patches failed because the council doesn’t have the legal power to pass bylaw that contravene the NZ Bill of Rights Act.

The Press reported* yesterday that National MP Chester Borrows is poised to sponsor a bill in Parliament that would effect the ban. If the Wanganui ban succeeds, Christchurch is likely to follow suit. Christchurch mayor Garry Moore expressed his support for the idea in December. Everything I wrote then still stands.

Hat tip: No Right Turn.

*The story has disappeared from Stuff. This is Google’s cached copy.