Trans violence against women sparks calls for NZ travel boycott
Kellie-Jay Keen, also known as Posie Parker, was met with a hate-fuelled reception from transgender rights protesters at her event in Albert Park, resulting in her being doused, mobbed, and sprayed by the crowd.
Women who attended the event in support of Keen were also physically assaulted, with shocking footage emerging of an elderly woman being ruthlessly punched by a much younger bearded transgender activist.
Have charges been laid by NZ Police for this “peaceful and tolerant” attack on an elderly woman by Trans rights extremists. pic.twitter.com/LvGCLOWuSO
— Rukshan Fernando (@therealrukshan) March 26, 2023
Keen was later spotted at Auckland Airport checking in to an international flight.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with #ShameOnNewZealand trending on Twitter as people around the world expressed shock at the intolerance of differing opinions and lack of free speech in the country.
Calls for a boycott of New Zealand as a tourist destination began to circulate, with people stating that they would not visit the country after witnessing the treatment of women trying to speak in a public place in Auckland.
The violent protests at Let Women Speak rallies demonstrates that men who identify as women still exhibit male aggression against women, and therefore must be kept out of women’s spaces, just as the Let Women Speak advocates argue. https://t.co/vRobz1mVeS
— james macpherson (@jamesmacpherson) March 25, 2023
Tourism New Zealand was forced to turn off replies to its tweets and delete its latest post entirely amid the storm of comments.
The negative reaction has raised concerns that the incident may tarnish New Zealand's international image and hurt the country's tourism industry.
ACT's tourism spokesperson Dr. James McDowall expressed disappointment and concern, stating that tourism businesses have been hammered over the past few years and cannot afford for potential tourists to have another reason to take their money elsewhere.
A massive crowd of men just bullied a tiny woman out of a park in New Zealand.
— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) March 24, 2023
All in the name of “tolerance and progression”.
It’s sick and twisted.
He emphasised that in a civilised country, people counter ideas they don't like with more speech and debate, not violence and intimidation.