Liz and Jonathan: The earlier beginning…

On Saturday, 25 February, 2023, Liz Gunn and Jonathan Clark were arrested at Auckland airport while waiting to greet a family from Tokelau who were moving to New Zealand after suffering from an abuse of their Human Rights that lasted for over 12 months. Liz and Jonathan were there with others, in a private capacity, looking forward to their arrival. With the brutal assault and arrest of Liz and Jonathan, the story of the family from Tokelau faded into the background. It seems appropriate to tell it now. This is the earlier beginning…

While living in Tokelau, the Patelesio family were put under house arrest for approximately one year and two months, because they had politely declined to accept the experimental gene-based therapy mRNA injections that had already shown severe adverse events in recipients. It appears that the NZ government was already aware of this long list of adverse events provided by Pfizer, but did not inform the public in New Zealand, or in Tokelau, and instead doubled down on their false “safe and effective” mantra. While under house arrest, the family were ostracized and endured ridicule, harassment and threats, (including a death threat), but were now finally free to return to New Zealand to make a new life here, among loved-ones.

Mainstream media paid little attention to the story. It seemed that when the issue of violations of the family’s basic human rights was raised there was a token “once-over-lightly” piece or two suggesting the inhumane imprisonment of the family in their home was a traditional ‘penalty’ that was ‘the business of the islanders’. But that didn’t make sense, as there was no crime the family had committed that required punishment. They had simply declined to take an experimental gene-altering injection of which the full extent of adverse reactions remained unknown, as did the contents of the injection. How could anyone know it was safe if some of the contents remained hidden? Nevertheless, the innuendo — the unwritten code of the mainstream-media piece — seemed to suggest that no-one should “go there”.

But Liz Gunn did.

On hearing of this cruel injustice, Liz contacted the family, and others in similar predicaments on other atolls of Tokelau. She did a number of interviews and kept a close eye on the unfolding situation, alerting other independent media who also wrote of it and published the information. Liz’s interviews with the Patelesio family can be seen here.

Liz found that the group of atolls known as Tokelau came under the umbrella of New Zealand rule and noted that Ross Adern — father of the former Prime Minister — was the New Zealand Administrator at the time the family were imprisoned in their home. Apparently the injections, contrary to the Nuremberg Code and NZ Bill of Rights Act were made mandatory for Tokelau.

In July 2021, a naval ship from New Zealand arrived with the first delivery of gene-based experimental injections on-board, despite the fact there was no known case of Covid on the island, which is understandable considering that according to tourist information one can only get there by boat services that make the 24 to 30 hour trip (depending on which atoll) once a fortnight from Apia, Samoa.

Liz was steadfast. She was there for the family when they were told they weren’t to go swimming, despite the ocean being in their backyard; she was there when their son, Koloi, and teenage daughter, Jipsy, were suffering from the lonely and demoralising effects of long-term house arrest with their parents; she was there for them when Jipsy, who had been forbidden from attending school, was left with only a computer to remain in touch with the outside world through correspondence; and also there when the NZ government confiscated the computer after Jipsy politely spoke of her heart-breaking experiences of house arrest to Liz in an interview. She was there when they were tested to their utmost, and also when it almost resulted in the nervous break-down of one member of the family. She was there when items were thrown at their home and they were shouted at and threatened by locals. And she was there when Mahelino Patelesio, the brave and dignified father and village elder, discovered the makings of a fire that was set against the wall of their home, and when a large rock was thrown on their roof. They had to rely on locals to bring them food and sometimes they were hungry. At one stage they were not permitted to fish in their traditional family fishing grounds, or climb a tree to obtain a coconut in their island backyard.

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength while loving someone deeply gives you courage. — Lao Tzu

The interviews that Liz did with the family resonated with compassion, love, sensitivity and care. The fact that she was watching and reporting on their treatment was a lifeline for them. It gave them hope. She also put out an appeal to a group of wonderful fellow lawyers, based in New Zealand and Australia, to assist in getting the draconian forms of suppression and imprisonment lifted for this brave family and interviewed other locals about the detaining of those in Tokelau who were standing strong. She never faltered in her support. She raised funds for a replacement computer, for food, for anything that would make this “house arrest” easier to bear while the group of fellow lawyers came alongside her in support and also fought for the family’s release.

Ross Adern, was Administrator of Tokelau — the highest political position there — from May 2018 — June 2022. He held this position when the Patelesio family (and some others) were put under house arrest in August 2021 — and for the following ten months of the 13 months of their confinement. He was also reportedly present at a local council meeting where the families who had refused the “vaccine” were being rebuked and added to it, according to this report, by telling them to; “stop listening to silly people on the internet and trust the Government for truth.” As most have discovered, that hasn’t worked out well for New Zealanders (and those in Tokelau) who never thought their government would lie and trusted them. Tragically, many have since been injured or died.

Eventually, after one year and one month, the house arrest was lifted in September 2022. That was a great day. Liz was a lifesaver for the family over this time. Several of her many videos with them while they were in captivity, can be seen here.

But life was never going to be the same for the family on the atoll, as by this time the scars had run too deep. So they made plans to return to New Zealand and that day, 25 February 2023, finally arrived. Although the family came to know Liz so well throughout that terrible year, they had not physically met. What a celebration it was to be! Liz and her camera-man, Jonathan, wanted to record this pivotal moment in all their lives, and to photograph the joy and to celebrate with them.

They were peacefully waiting for the arrival of the Patelesio family at the airport with other supporters when they were singled out by a security employee who mistakenly thought they were filming in a commercial capacity without a permit or licence. Despite a clear explanation from Liz that this was not the case, the security worker moved away stating they would be trespassed and the police would be called. The police arrived and within roughly 18 seconds had brutally assaulted both Liz and Jonathan and then arrested them. Liz suffered from torn ligaments and a fractured wrist and Jonathan received contusion and bruising. His camera was smashed and confiscated.

Part 2 of this story by Mary Hobbs ‘Is New Zealand Hovering on the Brink of a Police State?’ can be found here.

There is something in the human spirit that will survive and prevail, there is a tiny and brilliant light burning in the heart of man that will not go out no matter how dark the world becomes. — Leo Tolstoy