Footage shared by Destiny Church's Brian Tamaki of the Te Atatū protest on Saturday. Photo: Screenshot / Facebook
An Auckland councillor has shared the terror felt by an 11-year-old inside Te Atatū's library during a Destiny Church demonstration at the weekend.
Several Pride events saw intrusive protests over the weekend by the 'Man Up' group linked to Destiny Church. Church leader Brian Tamaki said he told protesters: "I want you to storm the library they're in."
Members of the Man Up group stormed the library on Saturday, allegedly pushing through staff as they tried to disrupt a drag reading show.
Councillor Richard Hills acknowledged the disruption during Thursday morning's meeting of the Policy and Planning Committee, reading aloud a quote from an 11-year-old who was inside the library.
In the quote, the child, named Sammy, described being scared and worrying the protesters would hurt someone.
"I started to get really scared when the chanting got louder and we heard it inside, especially when they were banging on the door," Hills read.
"I thought they'd come in and hurt people."
Hills said council needed to draw a line on not tolerating personal attacks, threats of violence, aggression towards council staff, or behaviour that displaced or threatened the safety of those using council facilities or attending events.
"As an organisation, of course it's important that we respect people's right to free speech and peaceful protests," Hills said.
"But what happened on Saturday was not that."
Members of the Destiny Church's "Man Up" group holding a protest outside Te Atatū library. Photo: Supplied / Facebook
Hill highlighted the council staff who were present at the time of the demonstration.
"I'd like to recognise the efforts of our council staff on that day and the members of Auckland Pride who were trampled over, pushed to the ground, pushed out of the way, screamed at..."
"What I've heard from staff members, it was extremely terrifying and pretty horrible.
"Members of the rainbow community also are fairly used to abuse, but that type of behaviour was well above anything most have experienced ever before," Hills said.
Council has been critical of Destiny Church's actions targeting pride events across the city at the weekend.
Auckland Council's director for community Rachel Kelleher said the council was very disappointed in the "non-peaceful" protest, and the city's mayor Wayne Brown decried it saying there was "no place for thuggery".
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