September 9, 2015

Women Occupy John Key's Office Demanding Democracy

Several women from a TPPA action group have just occupied the Prime Minister’s office in Kumeu and are refusing to leave until the TPPA text is released in a dramatic escalation of their tactics.

Female members of “Show Us Ya Text” held pictures of Kate Sheppard proclaiming “I am Kate” and occupied Prime Minister John Key’s office while supporters waved banners outside.

Police have arrived on the scene and are attempting to move the protesters

Spokesperson Georgina Blackmore said “Kate Sheppard fought for the right of women to have a say in New Zealand’s democracy and this is being threatened by the government's secrecy in these hugely important trade negotiations”.

Show Us Ya Text has previously focused on conducting humourous actions with large paper mache props in what the group have called their nationwide search for the TPPA text.

“Last week our deadline to the government to release the TPPA text passed. The secrecy of these negotiations is incompatible with the democratic society Kate fought for, and so we will begin our campaign of civil disobedience to seize the TPPA text and honour her legacy”, said Blackmore.

“We have held public meetings across the country to invite our fellow citizens to participate in our seizure of the TPPA of September 15. Police attempted to gain access to a public meeting in Wellington on Thursday 3 September and were requested to leave”.

“Today’s action is just the first in our campaign of civil disobedience. Democracy doesn’t happen behind closed doors so we will hold a civil disobedience training in Wellington in full public view on September 14”.

“This will allow our fellow citizens to see for themselves the non-violent tactics we will use to seize the TPPA text. Our members will be highly trained and disciplined in non-violent civil disobedience techniques and fully prepared to conduct the seizure of this hugely important trade deal”.

“New Zealanders have asked, we have marched, we have taken the government to court, and they have still not listened. But this is not a time to despair, it is a time for action.”

“Civil disobedience is not a departure from democracy, it is essential to it. If the government won’t do democracy, we will”, said Blackmore.

ENDS

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