Should Labour listen to Henare on the gang patch ban? Free Speech Union says yes!

22 August 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Should Labour listen to Henare on the gang patch ban? Free Speech Union says yes!

Confusion? A slip of the tongue? Apparently Peeni Henare was mistaken when he told the audience at a by-election debate that his party would repeal the gang patch ban. But the Free Speech Union is on his side. Police should be tough on actual crime, not wardrobes, says Jillaine Heather, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union.

“We’ve consistently opposed the gang patch ban, and we continue to stand by this stance. The ban has simply removed the ability for the public to easily identify gang members. It has done nothing to get to the root of the problem.  

“Censorship is a slippery slope. A gang patch today, what next tomorrow? Our laws already address crime, but clothing should not be part of this. And if New Zealanders feel actively threatened, intimidated, and harassed, the appropriate laws should be enforced to protect those going about their daily lives.  

“Censorship can be a natural impulse to things we don’t like, but it’s better to know when hateful or offensive ideas exist. This ban simply suppresses a symptom of an issue and makes it harder to address the cause itself.

“You do not have to agree with gangs to think the gang patch ban is wrong. It will always be better if individuals can freely advertise who they are so that others can choose whether to engage or not. Censorship just buries ideas underground, allowing them to fester and crop up in unexpected ways.

“We continue to oppose the ban, and urge all political parties to do the same. Our democracy will not thrive if we pick and choose who gets free speech and expression, and who does not.”