SOLO-NZ Press Release: Lenin Helen's Police State Proceeds Apace

January 15, 2008

A Christchurch man looking out for the best interests of his toddlers must be wondering if he's Patrick McGoohan, of The Prisoner fame, trapped in The Village, says SOLO Principal Lindsay Perigo.

This, in the wake of the following story in The Press over the weekend:

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A Christchurch father is fuming after he received a police warning for hitting a child after he flicked his son's ear in public as a reprimand. Professional musician Jimmy Mason flicked the ear of his son, Seth, at the Bridge of Remembrance just before Christmas after the three-year-old disobeyed his instructions while riding his new bike. The toddler took off down a ramp and was followed by his brother, Zach, two, who was also on a new bike. Seth made the tight corner but Zach did not, and injured his eye. "Seth just wanted to go on riding. He didn't realise the seriousness of it with the youngest one slipping in and out of consciousness," Mason said. "So I turned to Seth and flicked him on the ear and told him to shut up while we fixed up the young one," Mason said. A nearby teacher took umbrage, an off-duty policewoman rang the incident in and in minutes later Mason was surrounded by six police officers. "They were going to arrest me and were trying to ascertain whether it was safe for the kids to go home with me," he said. "It was pretty bizarre to tell you the truth."

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"This is the nationalisation of parents and children opponents of the Bradford anti-smacking bill warned about," says Perigo. "Things have come to a pretty pass when you can't do what Mr. Mason did without a swarm of police officers being all over you within a matter of minutes. Adding to this disgrace is that if you report a burglary, a real crime, you won't see a single police officer for weeks, if ever. Such travesties are to be expected in a country where it is now possible to be jailed for expressing an opinion.

"The fascist filth that occupies the 9th floor of the Beehive must be removed post haste," Perigo concludes.

ENDS

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