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Golriz Ghahraman granted police escort after serious threats

Author
NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Tue, 21 May 2019, 1:54PM
Ghahraman will be the only MP to have extra security. (Photo / NZ Herald)
Ghahraman will be the only MP to have extra security. (Photo / NZ Herald)

Golriz Ghahraman granted police escort after serious threats

Author
NZ Herald ,
Publish Date
Tue, 21 May 2019, 1:54PM

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman has been allocated a security escort after receiving threats that were deemed by police to be serious enough to warrant an escort.

It is understood the threat level has been escalated, following an interview where ACT MP David Seymour said she was a menace to freedom because of her views on hate speech.

The police have deemed the threats she has received as a serious enough threat that warrants the extra security.

The extra security would be made up of police, who will work with parliamentary security.

The security escort will be on hand when she is in Auckland, as well as when she is in Wellington and out anywhere public.

She won't, however, have the security escort when she is within Parliament.

Speaking to the Herald, Seymour said any threats against any MP were "appalling" and people who make the threats should be held to account.

However, he said he did not regret the comments he made and said he should be allowed to hold Ghahraman to account for her comments.

He said it was "fairly held criticism".

After the interview with Magic, National MP Judith Collins jumped to Ghahraman's defence.

"Please don't refer to Golriz in this way. I do not agree with almost anything she says but she is a person and it does not assist political debate to dehumanise her like that."

It is not known at this time how long the extra security would be with Ghahraman.

The only other MP in New Zealand who receives a security escort is the Prime Minister.

More to come

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