From midnight tonight, new laws targeting gang-related crime and intimidation will come into effect, with police across the country ready to enforce the regulations under the Gangs Act 2024.
These laws grant law enforcement enhanced tools to curb gang activities, including prohibitions on displaying gang patches, signs, or symbols in public spaces.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Basham stressed that police are prepared to take swift action against breaches.
“If you wear a gang patch in public, or display a sign or symbol associated with a gang, you can expect the attention of Police, either at the time of the offence, or at a time that suits us,” Basham stated.
To support the rollout of these new measures, police have launched Operation Nickel, a nationwide initiative designed to ensure officers are equipped to enforce the laws effectively. Basham assured the public that the operation positions police well to respond to and address violations promptly.
“There will be no excuses. Anyone found in breach of the law can expect the certainty that Police will take action,” he said.
While enforcement is a priority, police have clarified that emergency and priority calls will remain their primary focus. In instances where immediate response to breaches is not possible, officers will gather evidence for enforcement action at a later date.
The newly established Gang Disruption Units will play a central role in this effort. These dedicated teams will target priority offenders, follow up on reported breaches, and, where necessary, execute search warrants and make arrests to recover gang-related insignia.
“Our message is simple — Parliament has passed a law, it’s our job to enforce the law, and we will be enforcing it,” Basham reiterated.
Police personnel nationwide have undergone training to understand the intricacies of the new law and ensure consistent application across the country.
Slippery slope to authoritarianism…gang insignia today, whats to stop them banning any insignia and by extension, organisation so called Parliament (more like an elected tyrants) don’t like? Maybe even reformist political party’s. Just look at how Liz Gunn/NZ Loyal has been treated, stomach turning stuff.
Frankly, I hope this fails and I personally wont support it or those trying to enforce it. Free speech, free expression, are BASIC RIGHTS in any society that wants to call itself a democracy. No “if’s”, no “buts”.
NZ police looking to squash the competition.
Not at all impressed with such a pathetic government and their sycophantic servants.
Basham – with a name like that where else could you go except into the police force.
I can’t stop laughing.
Names are very important
Like Goldstein
Siverstein
Diamond
Bloomberg
A few examples
Sounds too good to be true
Why has it taken so long?
Richard Chambers may be one of those referred to by Kelvin Alps (Counterspin) as having been passed over in favour of appointing Andrew Coster to Police Commissioner
I support these moves
Why should I have to walk down the road and be subjected and intimidated by this beastly primitive law of the jungle behavior?
Time to come down hard on this scum who have been given a free pass being allowed to proliferate and manifest themselves in communities under kid gloves and impotent ineffective politicians for far too long
I say go further in trespassing them from towns and cities
Time for these “Russell-Specials” neighborhood dogs to be brought into line
While I can understand your antipathy to gangs, as long as the lot in the Beehive and their bullice stormtroopers behave like a gang I cannot fault gangs wearing their attire.
And to be straight: as long as one does not show antipathy and derision, my own experience is that gangs leave ‘normies’ alone if you leave them alone. They wear their patches in contrast to rival gangs.
Maybe one needs to look at the reasons gangs develop. Could it be that politicians take too much out of us sheeple to pay their dues to unhinged bureaucrazy and to their bankster overlords?
Well said.
Yeah, we need to get rid of the New Zealand company (National) International communism (Greens, Labour). The only way we are going to do this is to get rid of the 5% threshold and weather the storm.
Yeah right, I will get straight onto it after I have finished finger painting.