Some Straight Answers From Frances Mountier
Frances Mountier of the Save Happy Valley Campaign was visited by police at her Christchurch home on the morning of the "Urewera 17" police raids.
Like the well trained activist she is, Mountier refused the police entry because they had no warrant.
The next day, October 16th, Mountier was interviewed on TV1's "CloseUp", by John Sellwood.
Sellwood Do you have any involvement in any activity that is illegal? Have you ever and anyone you know-and look in my eyes and tell me-have you ever been involved in anything that involves weapons?
Mountier No I have not.
Sellwood Do you know anyone who has or has been involved in the training using weapons?
Mountier I'm, I'm sure there's a whole lot of people...
Sellwood Do you know anyone?
Mountier Look, I have no idea, I, I...
Sellwood Seriously, do you know anyone?
Mountier Not in terms of-in...
Sellwood Do you know any?
Mountier Not in, ahh, ahh, like not beyond a shooting rabbits kind of sense.
Sellwood OK, more importantly, do you know anyone connected with the Ureweras and possibly what has occurred up there?
Mountier Ahh, as far as I'm aware, no I don't on and and and why does, any neither does anyone (unintelligible) so we can go tramping.
Sellwood As a New Zealander, if it was shown there was a terrorist training camp-the word terrorism, oh let's forget it-there was a training camp and arms were used possibly for training/political purposes, surely that would concern you?
Mountier Ah, as a New Zealander, what would concern me is this, this, this police, ah, , ah, coming into people's houses across the country and also the designation of, such, y'know, alleged camps, its been denied by all those people, being, being morphed into this concept of terrorism that, that, y'know everyone has heard about incessantly for past 24 hours.
Frances Mountier, incidentally, joined the recent Tuhoe hikoi to Parliament.
Like the well trained activist she is, Mountier refused the police entry because they had no warrant.
The next day, October 16th, Mountier was interviewed on TV1's "CloseUp", by John Sellwood.
Sellwood Do you have any involvement in any activity that is illegal? Have you ever and anyone you know-and look in my eyes and tell me-have you ever been involved in anything that involves weapons?
Mountier No I have not.
Sellwood Do you know anyone who has or has been involved in the training using weapons?
Mountier I'm, I'm sure there's a whole lot of people...
Sellwood Do you know anyone?
Mountier Look, I have no idea, I, I...
Sellwood Seriously, do you know anyone?
Mountier Not in terms of-in...
Sellwood Do you know any?
Mountier Not in, ahh, ahh, like not beyond a shooting rabbits kind of sense.
Sellwood OK, more importantly, do you know anyone connected with the Ureweras and possibly what has occurred up there?
Mountier Ahh, as far as I'm aware, no I don't on and and and why does, any neither does anyone (unintelligible) so we can go tramping.
Sellwood As a New Zealander, if it was shown there was a terrorist training camp-the word terrorism, oh let's forget it-there was a training camp and arms were used possibly for training/political purposes, surely that would concern you?
Mountier Ah, as a New Zealander, what would concern me is this, this, this police, ah, , ah, coming into people's houses across the country and also the designation of, such, y'know, alleged camps, its been denied by all those people, being, being morphed into this concept of terrorism that, that, y'know everyone has heard about incessantly for past 24 hours.
Frances Mountier, incidentally, joined the recent Tuhoe hikoi to Parliament.
posted by Trevor Loudon at
11/16/2007 09:17:00 PM
11 Comments:
Frances Mountier of the Save Happy Valley Campaign was visited by police at her Christchurch home on the morning of the "Urewera 17" police raids. Like the well trained activist she is, Mountier refused the police entry because they had no warrant.
You say this as if there is something inherently wrong about refusing the police entry without a warrant.
One of the things that makes us a democracy is the legal fact that the forces of the state can not just walk into our homes without lawful authority, such as a warrant that has been scrutinised by a judge before being granted.
Several years ago, the police in Christchurch were annoyed by articles I had written (I am a journalist) about a miscarriage of justice they had perpetrated, and they decided to try to intimidate me by raiding my house. The judge refused to sign a warrant. Despite this they still flew to my house in Auckland and tried to intimidate me. Goodness knows what they would have planted in my house had they been given a warrant.
Frances Mountier had every right to decline the police entry to her house without a warrant, as do you, I and everybody else in our democracy. Long may that continue and long may we continue to live in our healthy, vigorous democracy, where our robustly independent courts stand between us and the (fortunately) occasional excesses of the state.
Absolutely agree with you Evad.
Mountier was within her rights-it was making the point that she is a trained activist, a product of Sue bradford's Marxist Kotare School.
"You say this as if there is something inherently wrong about refusing the police entry without a warrant"
Did he?
Sorry Evad I don't see how you could get that out of what he said.
Snap Trevor!
Are you taking part in the Electoral Finance Bill protest in Christchurch?
Trevor you really do surprise me. You a man who believes in "Freedom", and some sort of due process, apparently.
If you can take anything incriminating or even vaguely "sus" out of the responses you quote then you are frankly better employed at Guantanamo Bay. One of the Chickenhawk's "Finders of Truth.....in the name of God".
I can tell you frankly and for gratis that were what you quote to be put before any Justice of the Peace or District Court judge in a depositions proceeding anywhere in New Zealand, and touted as proof of even a prosaic criminality, let alone terrorism, it would be dismissed out of hand with a rebuke to the prosecution. And costs to the defendant.
That's right, even a JP, a breed apart comprised mainly of retired drapers, grocers and service station proprietors that's right the "Petite Bourgeoisie" - not renowned for resisting the cranked-up, dark suggestions of police prosecutors.
So you parade this garbage as some symbol of dire culpability, a dark evilness creeping across our nation you say. "Faaaark !". Refusing search without warrant. That is bad, very bad !
Come back down to earth chum.....
Don't tell me, while you're aghast and bitchiung on at Hone Harawira, that you contest the Rule of Law. .
Much as I thought.....right wingers being me, me, me once again. You truly are very, very vain and self centred people. Hints of "Born to Rule". We have the right to the Rule of Law. "They" don't !
And did you notice how white and pasty and pregnantly excited were all those "outraged" jerks who drove in from Pakuranga in their Hyundais, and for the really stylish ones their macho, primary coloured Commodores in mags, righteously stomping down Queen Street today ?
Supporting, indeed demanding the right of weirdos who don't even vote, to undemocratically "purchase" an electoral outcome satisfactory to the right wing. Remember guys - those cultists would call your 18 year old sons and daughters "sluts" for being what today is like patently normal.
That's Democracy ? Democracy that depends on the dollar. Have a shit !
I'm so looking forward to the "Four Arms Trials" ! It'll be the "Thighs and Ankles Trials" next.....
Exciting.....hard !
I gotta say, I do admire your turn of phrase Steve.
SAL-Christchurch march hasn't been confirmed yet-depends on what happens in parliament on Tuesday.
If there is one-I'll be there.
Sellwood's interviewing technique was like that of Fox News.
Trevor, I am now getting pissed off with your insinuation about good people I know. I have just stumbled across this bog entry.
Francie is someone who is working extremely hard on a number of fronts to better the world we live in. You on the other hand are trying to make anyone you don't agree with look like they are criminals. On one hand you want minimal government yet you deplore those who are trying to get the government out of their lives ((where it is not needed for the overall good of our society). I would like to see you delete this crap bog entry about Francie. How do you think she feels about all of this?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with breaking the law in order to achieve a particular end. Not all laws are created equally and judges know this and therefore throw some police prosecutions out of the courts.
ABSOULTELY NO ONE I KNOW in SHVC advocates the use of firearms are killing in order to achieve environmental protection. You bog entries are worse that the tabloids, pub talk and talkback radio. How about you do some real analysis about issues instead of trying to sully the good name of people in SHVC - especially Francie.
Alan Liefting
Ooops - "use of firearms are killing in order to" was meant to read "use of firearms for killing in order to"
Gimme a call Trevor. Your line is engaged tonite. My number is 385-3830.
Alan Liefting
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home