Over 40,000 people took to the streets in New Zealand's capital Wellington to protest a controversial bill expanding Maori rights.
On Tuesday, tens of thousands of marchers crowded outside New Zealand’s Parliament to protest against a bill, calling for lawmakers to reject the Treaty Principles Bill.
The controversial bill was introduced earlier this month by the libertarian ACT New Zealand party.
Mob was gathered on the streets to show the opposition against a law that would reshape the county's founding treaty between Indigenous Māori and the British Crown.
Notably, a protest labelled as the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti march began nine days ago in New Zealand’s far north and crossed the length of the North Island, becoming the country’s one of the biggest protests in recent decades.
The protestors described the march as a “generational” moment.
“Today is a show of kotahitanga (unity), solidarity and being one as a people and uphold our rights as Indigenous Māori,” marcher Tukukino Royal told Reuters.
For the unversed, the Treaty Principles Bill was introduced by, the leader of the right-wing ACT New Zealand Party, David Seymour.
The party is a junior coalition partner with the ruling National and New Zealand First parties.
Seymour argues that the treaty's ideas should apply to all New Zealanders while keeping the original wording.
Moreover, Bill supporters claim Māori have received special treatment from inconsistent interpretations of the treaty.
For the unversed, New Zealand’s Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 by the colonial British regime and 500 Māori chiefs, establishes principles of co-governance between Indigenous and non-Indigenous New Zealanders.
It is a foundational document, and its varying interpretations continue to influence legislation and policy.
Due to its two versions, one in Māori (Te Tiriti) and one in English, the ongoing debate was ignited.
