Facts
Richard Sivell
Government policies in New Zealand led to the emergence of differentiated groups based on vaccination status. Richard participated in the Wellington protest, observed police interactions with demonstrators, and noted a sense of uncertainty in the trust between citizens and law enforcement. After returning from the protest, the Police arrived at Richard's address with a search Warrant.
The video shows police failed to follow search warrant procedures.
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The warrant was unsigned by a judge, and Richard was arrested for obstruction when he tried to read it. (Therefore, did not plead to the obstruction charge)
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Richard did not make any threats; nevertheless, he maintained that the government ought to be held responsible for its economic management and for requiring citizens to receive a recently developed and unverified vaccine.
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Political opinion alone is not a crime in New Zealand.
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Police did not provide any witnesses in court, stating that Richard had made threats against anyone. (Therefore, did not plead to threatening anyone)
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In court, police prosecution quoted only selected words from online chats, omitting full context, which courts should consider.
What steps can New Zealanders take to restore confidence in the police force, Courts, and Corrections when established procedures are not upheld?
This twenty minute video, taken 29th March 2022, gives some indication of how Richard was treated following his time at the Wellington protest on parliament grounds.