Māori have been unfairly targeted, justice advocate says as controversial police trial ends

April 29, 2020

Julia Whaipooti is urging for police not to stay armed now that a six-month trial is wrapping up.

A controversial six-month trial that created police armed response units in several New Zealand communities ended this weekend. And we should never see them again, a Māori justice advocate says. 

The trial, which equipped frontline officers with guns, was launched in response to the Christchurch terrorist attack. 

But in the end, the focus was less on terrorism than on Māori communities, lawyer Julia Whaipooti told Breakfast today. 

"Before the armed response teams were put in place, police were nine times more likely to use guns on Māori people already," she said.

Watch the full interview in the video above. 

Lawyer and justice advocate Julia Whaipooti said Māori women would rather stay with abusive partners than deal with the racism in the justice system.

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