As part of “quietly turning up the volume, until we are properly heard” .. Firearms Licence Holders will lawfully take to the streets of Ashburton this Saturday .. with their Gunbags symbolically strapped to their backs.

“We believe our government has completely underestimated our resolve. We just want to leave no doubt what it is we are protesting about”, an organiser said.

“We must point out, though - bringing our Gunbags to this Protest is a symbolic gesture .. they’ll only have broomsticks in them.”

“The government asked us to engage in their (our) hard-won and long-standing democratic due process .. which we did, in good faith. Then they changed the rules and rode roughshod all over us, halfway through.”

“That is what has created what we believe is our legitimate grievance. We feel unfairly, unreasonably, unjustifiably, and undemocratically ill-treated. We’ve been scapegoated.”

“This has become a political issue for us, leading into this election. Political heads will roll, if we’ve got anything to do with it. And it looks like we have.”

“We’re 5% of the population, and we’re 10% of the vote. Along with our Supporters, we’re probably more like 20% of the Community .. much, much more than that, in rural areas and towns. For perhaps the first time in our country’s history .. we have to get our act together, use our numbers, and flex our political muscle.”

“Sometimes, the government in this country needs to listen to it’s people .. instead of letting the tail wag the dog. Just because we are a minority .. doesn’t mean we are not a legitimate part of our society .. that deserve to be fairly treated.”

“Many of the Firearms Law Reforms we have seen put through since 15th March .. had absolutely nothing to do with the tragedy that we all witnessed. Even the Muslim community came out publicly and distanced themselves from the changes.”

“There’s no denying .. we have been assessed as ‘fit and proper’ people by the highest standards applied to civilians in our land. We are legitimate and law-abiding people. We come from all walks of life, and we are ordinary Kiwis .. who in many cases just happen to have born into what is common custom and practice, in New Zealand. We’ve adopted a recreational , vocational and sporting way of life that just happens to depend upon firearms.”

“It was from amidst and ranks, that we have gone to war to defend our freedom, and our way of life. Now, it’s being attacked by our own government. You tell us what we need to do, in peacetime .. lawfully .. and we will do it. We are being pushed into it.”

“We are not just going to roll over and go away.”

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