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Callers split over Anzac Day cancellations

Author
Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Wed, 24 Apr 2019, 4:02PM
(Photo / NZ Herald)

Callers split over Anzac Day cancellations

Author
Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date
Wed, 24 Apr 2019, 4:02PM

On the eve of Anzac Day, there remains a division of public opinion over the cancellation of multiple events. 

Around the country, 60 events have been cancelled so police can better guard the remaining events in the wake of the Christchurch attacks.

Nearly 70 per cent of Auckland's services have been cut, with only 26 taking place instead of the regular 84.

Former ACT MP Heather Roy told Andrew Dickens that it is "wrong" for the police to have cancelled these events. 

She has launched a petition to share the public's anger, though has only garnered around 2,000 signatures so far. 

"At a timer we should be looking for public unity, for the police to be saying not to go to these events is wrong.”

She says that it is generating fear through the community, and that it goes against what our veterans fought for.

One veteran, Roger, called in to express his annoyance, saying that he has quit his local RSA over what has happened. 

"We don't need the police to march, we don't need a band to march, we've all marched the route before." 

He feels that people should have been given the option to march. 

However, another caller, Kiri, says that we should trust the police. She was from Christchurch who went to Sri Lanka for a short holiday to recover, and ended up being caught up in this weekend's explosions as she was at the airport. 

She says that they are the experts and we should trust their advice. 

"Of course we don't want to do this, but we are living in an unusual, unsafe time, and if this is what they are asking to keep us safe, get over it."

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