As a group of migrants who came together against the rise of global and local Islamophobia and white supremacist violence, Migrants Against Racism and Xenophobia condemn the white nationalist-driven occupation of Parliament grounds.

As teachers and community workers, we are deeply saddened to see our colleagues lose their jobs in light of the vaccine mandates. However, we are likewise alarmed in witnessing a sinister white supremacist presence take hold in this uneasy and distressing time. The ultimate goals of the far right are not to end vaccine mandates but to take advantage of this crisis to destabilise the government and take over Parliament to instate a white ‘ethno-state’. The spreading of disinformation and conspiracy theories has been a far right tactic since the beginnings of the pandemic where anti-vaccine and anti-masking protests have been spear-headed by the far right transnationally. These conspiracy theories often have undercurrents of anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and Sinophobia.

The ‘freedom convoy’ and occupation on Parliament grounds are directly inspired by white supremacist-led actions in Canada. Known right-wing extremist and neo-Nazi individuals and organisations have been involved in the occupation such as Action Zealandia which is a white nationalist fascist organisation, the far right media platform, Counterspin, and Phil Arps who had delivered a pig’s head to Al Noor mosque in Christchurch. As we approach the observance of March 15th, we must remember what white supremacists in this country are capable of.

As migrants who recognise Aotearoa as Māori land, we wholeheartedly support the calls from Te Atiawa and Ngāti Toa for the ‘protestors’ to leave Parliament grounds. We support Ngāti Whatua’s opposition to the occupation of Pukekawa, a site where the Jummah Remembrance vigil was held to honour the lives of 51 Muslims murdered by the white supremacist in Christchurch. To truly learn from this violence, we cannot take the threats of the far right lightly.

Calls for public executions for example are senseless and sensationalist calls to cause further destabilisation of our communities. These calls are an especially alarming co-option of the pain and anger felt by some of our most vulnerable community members. We condemn the exploitation of our grief to advance fascist aspirations of building a white ethno-state.

Those from disabled communities have expressed their opposition to the Wellington occupation for the harmful impacts of spreading anti-vaccine misinformation and putting disabled and immunocompromised communities at further risk. It is disturbing to know that high school students have endured harassment from these protesters, whose motive, it seems, is to further undermine our communities in an already upsetting time. This has long been an exploitative tactic of the far right.

We are also critical of the government’s response and policies to the pandemic that has left many in the community behind. We have seen the government’s refusal to listen to Māori health experts, the inequitable rollout of vaccines that have made Māori communities sacrificial for the benefit of businesses, and the inadequate support for migrant workers. The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health, affecting disenfranchised communities the most. We must prioritise and protect those who are immunocompromised or due to age or underlying health issues unable to take the vaccine. However, there is room for critiques of the government without standing alongside the far right who are weaponising opposition to vaccine mandates to further their racist agendas.

In the last two years of living through a pandemic, we have experienced a level of disruption to our lives that many of us may have never otherwise envisaged. At this time it is important that we identify the tactics to exploit our grief and vulnerability. Our communities must be vigilant and prepared for what is to come.

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