Blindspot Busters

So, I filmed this speech three times. This was around the time all the tech kept going missing. I don’t have any of those videos. Instead, please find below the speech I gave before the protest on Sunday 22 June 2025, right opposite the police station. They were aware it was happening. They knew what every hoot and every yell was about. We got a lot of support from the people of Gisborne that day. This is my speech.

Over the years I have visited Gizzy many times, in particular during my early 20’s when my best friend lived here for a time.

In 2022 I moved here, fleeing for my life during an ongoing violent divorce. My decision to move here was largely based on the amazing people and community based here (although the beaches and scenery don’t hurt either).

Sadly, not everyone here is lovely and I have lately been experiencing a fair amount of bullying from people who do not understand neurodiversity. These people, predominately but not only white, behave in a way towards me that feels threatening, intimidating and insulting, often going as far as calling me names like stupid, moron, childish, or immature. Worse still, when I stand up for myself or for my friends who have been referred to as distasteful or goons, these people then call the police and name me as the perpetrator of the bad behaviour.

The most alarming part of this for me is that when the police arrive they continue the intimidating and threatening behaviour, instantly assuming the people bullying me are in the right.

I have always been compliant with police, however over the past couple of weeks I have also been manhandled, yelled at, spoken down to and insulted by the very people who are supposed to be protecting the community.

Every single one of these incidents has occurred either due to a domestic violence situation or because I was genuinely trying to help the community through my work as an advocate.

As a result of this ongoing bullying from the police, I am now terrified of the uniform, and the cares and find their precedes in Gisborne to be excessive and scary. I am far more afraid of them than the gangs, the members of which I have found to always be polite.

As a predominately white girl from the North Shore of Auckland, I am absolutely dumbfounded and can only say…

… WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?