7 August 2005

Press Release Libertarianz

Events/Smoking Ban/Property Rights

Dean Risi Honoured With Light Of Liberty Award

Last night a contingent of Libertarianz members bestowed the Light of Liberty award on Dean Risi, the owner of Kelly Browne's Bar in Cambridge. Dean allowed people to smoke in his bar - his private property. As a consequence he was shut down for three weeks by this Governments's Nico-Nazis

To honour Dean Risi for his stand, a group of Libertarianz visited his re-opening party, gave a few short speeches, thanking him for his defence of liberty, and gave him a Light of Liberty award. The Libertarianz guests included: Peter Cresswell (architect and property rights campaigner), Helen Hughes (Whangarei candidate and drug-law reform campaigner), Tim Wikiriwhi (Hamilton West candidate and Maori spokesman), Russell Watkins (Tauranga candidate) and Julian Pistorius (Northland candidate and deputy).

Tim Wikiriwhi, Libertarianz Hamilton West candidate, organised the event. Wikiriwhi said that: "Dean Risi was not forcing anybody to visit his bar. Neither was he forcing anybody to work there. The bossy-boots and busybodies in government decided that they had to protect people from themselves, and consequently have sacrificed the property rights of individuals - bar owners - to do so. This is a blatant example of Nanny-Statism in action."

"Dean Risi stood up for his rights against the bureaucratic bullies as long as possible without becoming a martyr - and fought infinitely longer than all the other publicans who rolled over immediately. "It's the law," they whined. Imagine if every publican in the country did what Dean had done.

It would have been an amazing act of civil disobedience, and would have caused such embarrassment for the government that I am convinced this unjust law would have been scrapped. Dean is an example of a principled man, a true hero, and we desperately need more people like him. Here's to you Dean!"

The battle continues for Dean Risi, as he has now been targetted by the Ministry of Health bureaucrats who seem to still want to make an example of him. We continue to watch with interest.

ENDS

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