Phil Goff acting as Molyneux and Southern's ' de-facto publicist' - historian

  • Updated
  • 03/08/2018

A New Zealand history expert says Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has helped publicise the controversial far-right speaking event on Friday night.

Protesters are planning to camp outside an unconfirmed Auckland venue where the two speakers are due to appear.

Tamaki Anti-Fascist Action spokesperson Sima Brown-Davis is concerned about what will be said at the event, following reports Mr Molyneux made racist comments at an Australian event in July.

"Stefan Molyneux did a whole dialogue which was quite dehumanising of Aboriginal people, we're really concerned that he's going to repeat the same sort of racist talking points against Māori in Aotearoa," she said.

However an expert says protests are what the pair want, so they can draw attention and get more money.

Appearing on The AM Show on Friday, AUT history professor Paul Moon says Auckland Mayor Phil Goff's opposition to the event has "played right into the hands" of the speakers.

"This is a business, these people are provocateurs, that's what they do to earn to earn their crust. And people like Phil Goff have contributed wonderfully to it," he told host Duncan Garner.

"This time tomorrow the fuss will be over and people will have moved on to other things.

"The only unfortunate aspect of this is that people like Phil Goff, who have acted like these people's de-facto publicist, have made sure they have an audience of hundreds of thousands in the country, so he's actually inflamed the situation."

Ms Brown-Davis says protesters represent community, cultural and activist groups and they're planning to demonstrate tolerance.

"They're not welcome in Aotearoa," she said.

"We have no room for racism and that Auckland is a diverse city that honours the tangata whenua."

The protestors will move from Aotea Square to the speakers' venue, and group hopes to show Ms Southern and Mr Molyneux that multiculturalism is celebrated in New Zealand.

"People will be demonstrating their cultural items, doing a haka while they're speaking inside and then while they're coming in and out," she said.

Police say they respect everyone's right to protest and their right to have freedom of speech, regardless of what views they hold.

"Our role is to ensure the safety of any member of the public," Auckland City District Commander Superintendent Karyn Malthus told Newshub.

"We want everyone to be safe, so we ask that anyone intending to turn up to the event acts in a peaceful manner and with consideration for others."

Newshub.