Jarring scenes of a Sikh nagar kirtan procession being disrupted in New Zealand's Auckland on 20 December by members of True Patriots of NZ, a group affiliated with Brian Tamaki's Destiny Church, flooded social media recently. Slogans like “One True God” were shouted while young men performed the Māori haka with a sign that read ‘This is New Zealand, Not India’.
Despite the clear provocation, the participants of the nagar kirtan maintained an unreactive demeanor, physically shielded by police.
Confronted with these images, I had to double take—this is not New Zealand.
Incongruous To the New Zealand I Know
My young parents arrived in Auckland from Delhi in the late 1980s with a small child (me) in tow. I watched them work incredibly hard and devote their lives to the purpose of making sure my sister and I had every opportunity available to us—a start in life any born and bred Kiwi would be lucky to have.
I loved my childhood in New Zealand, and its reputation as a sort of 'liberal utopia' came into sharper vision when I moved to Australia. I was shocked by the casual and indoctrinated racism towards indigenous people that rolled off the tongue of some peers.
I learnt Poi (a local performative art) at school, played netball with Māori and Paskifika friends, and my Dad even learnt Te Reo (the indigenous language).
So, a peaceful procession of Sikhs being swarmed by young men in t-shirts emblazoned with ‘Kiwis First’ and calling themselves 'True Patriots' felt incongruous to the New Zealand I knew.
The incident sparked debate in New Zealand regarding the distinctions between free speech, lawful protest, and intimidation.
Jillaine Heather, Chief Executive of the Free Speech Union, a civil society group, delivered a damning indictment on the behaviour of the True Patriots.
“Physically interfering with parades, speeches, or communities exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association crosses a line. When fifty people form a barrier to stop a Nagar Kirtan procession, that's not counter-protest—it's obstruction that limits others' legal expression.”Jillaine Heather
Mark of Rising Anti-India Sentiment or Isolated Incident?
However, questions have also arisen within India and its ever expanding diaspora community as to whether this incident was another example of rising anti-Indian rhetoric globally, most recently evidenced in anti-immigration rallies held in Australia.
These questions are amplified by the fact that two days after the True Patriots swarmed the Sikh procession, India and New Zealand signed a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after nine months of negotiations.
New Zealand's Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, has been vocal about India’s "critical" role in New Zealand's “security, prosperity and future society”, with the ambitious deal specifically aiming to increase skilled migration from India into the New Zealand labour market.
Distinguishing between a broader national sentiment and the actions of a radical fringe group specifically designed to garner virality is a critical one.
National Party member and former MP, Kanwalit Singh Bakshi, does not see this incident as representative of a wider sentiment in New Zealand.
“The actions were distressing and hurtful, particularly as they targeted a peaceful religious event. At the same time, there has been a strong sense of resilience and unity, with a clear commitment to peace, dignity, and dialogue," Bakshi, who's a member of Sikh community, tells The Quint.
Bakshi adds that he does not see any anti-immigrant or anti-Indian feeling among Kiwis. "New Zealand is an inclusive and multicultural nation, and Indians contribute to New Zealand’s economy and enhance its culture."
A History of Divisive Rhetoric
The question then turns to: Who then are these True Patriots? They link back to one man, a figure marred in controversy in New Zealand, Brian Tamaki, the founder of Destiny's Church. While official membership numbers of Destiny’s Church aren't clear, its peak membership was recorded in 2003 with 5,000 members and the latest census numbers standing at a figure of 1,772 recorded followers despite the Church claiming 6,000.
Numbers for the True Patriots, who appear to be a newly formed group by Tamaki under the auspices of his church, aren’t known. Stunts engineered to seek maximum media attention, such as intimidation of the nagar kirtan, is a hallmark tactic of Tamaki's and utilising the haka as a well recognised cultural symbol for his own means fall squarely within his brand.
A brand which is styled on the cult of the American megachurch and increasingly resembles that of an outlaw gang—one with a penchant for riffing off the nationalistic dog whistling on the rise globally and specifically 'Trumpian' in its tone.
Tamaki started calling himself an 'apostle' in early February 2021. Before that, he self appointed himself as a 'bishop' in 2005 and has also called himself a ‘hot pastor’. While such proclamations read as farcical, Tamaki's increasingly violent moral vigilantism is anything but comedic.
Under Tamaki’s direction, 2025 saw the group storm a community library during a children's science show as part of the Auckland Pride Festival. In June at Auckland's Central Business District, members of Destiny’s Church gathered in a flag burning display they called—in defense of “faith, flag and family". Amongst the many flags burned were a Sikh and Hindu flag.
The True Patriots are now calling for a “New Zealand Day” rally on 31 January on Auckland's Harbour Bridge, intimating that displays of public disruption will remain a central part of the agenda.
Nagar Kirtan Participants Termed 'Khalistanis'
Despite burning the Hindu flag in June, Tamaki seemed to also attempt to leverage nationalist Hindu sentiments in support of the True Patriots actions by inaccurately labelling the Nagar Kirtan procession as “Khalistan terrorists, who were wielding swords and daggers, flying foreign and terrorist flags.”
Tamaki also stated that “They call out on Auckland streets for (Indian PM Narendra) Modi to be killed”—none of which has been verified.
“Such claims, without evidence, are deeply concerning. Public commentary must be responsible and based on facts, especially when it relates to community safety and social harmony," Bakshi commented.
The targeting of the nagar kirtan procession in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa seemed an odd choice for the self-described ‘guardians of the Kiwi way of life’. The procession organised by the Nanaksar Sikh Gurudwara had all the necessary legal permits in place, and participants chanted hymns and offered free meals to the community.
More widely, the Sikh community in New Zealand has punched well above its weight in times of need in the country, with the traditions of seva and langar being their defining qualities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand delivered hundreds of thousands of free food parcels across the nation.
The Sikh community also recently acted as a rapid response unit during major floods in Auckland and during Cyclone Gabrielle in the Hawkes Bay.
While the community are "devastated" and understandably fearful about attending their gurdwara in the wake of the events on 20 December, Marshal Ahluwalia of the Nanakshar Sikh Temple Manurewa and local community leader typified the model minority response in his statement to TVNZ post the True Patriots aggression, stating:
“We need to respect each other's cultures, we need to love each other. New Zealand has always been welcoming to other cultures. I humbly request Destiny's Church that we get together and let's support other people who are struggling at this time.”Marshal Ahluwalia
Locals Stand Up for Rights of Ethnic Minorities
Indeed, condemnation of the events have been resoundingly clear from both sides of the aisle in New Zealand, with government officials uniformly unequivocal.
Daniel Newman, councillor for Manurewa-Papakura, where the gurdwara is located, condemned the actions of the True Patriots mob as “overtly racist [and] bigoted".
"It is designed to infuse hate… You had a community doing the right thing, to try and have a celebration and then you had confrontation which was opportunistic and designed to antagonise," he said.
Oriini Kaipara, a member of Te Pāti Māori and MP for Tamaki Makaurau, took to social media calling out the True Patriots use of haka as “deeply offensive”.
“What happened in Manurewa was not a peaceful protest. It was targeted disruption that weaponised culture, identity, and public space to shame and exclude people who are valued members of our wider whānau,” she said, adding:
“The Sikh community are manuhiri [guests] in our whenua [land], people who live here, raise their children here, work and serve communities here. They have, for decades, helped many Māori to uphold our own values, and stand alongside us during our moments of need.”Oriini Kaipara
Back in India, Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also called for diplomatic intervention to address the growing unease in the New Zealand Sikh community.
Bakshi notes that while diplomatic engagement is a legitimate and constructive way to raise concerns, New Zealand, however, has strong democratic institutions and a well-established commitment to protecting religious freedom and community safety. "The Sikh community is a respected and valued part of New Zealand society," he says.
My Immigrant Parents Give New Zealand 10/10
Turning to my parents in our home in Auckland, what becomes evident is how much they value New Zealand right back.
As my mum reflects, “I arrived in New Zealand in my mid-twenties with a toddler, and it was a culture shock. After living in a bustling city like New Delhi, Auckland seemed almost deserted. Once we got our bearings it was wonderful to discover the resources available to us; the free kindergarten, playgroups, easy access to swimming pools, dedicated healthcare for mothers and young children."
She adds, "We just got on with the business of establishing ourselves and the warmth and friendliness of strangers. The typical New Zealand way helped us settle into life quite easily. In the nearly 40 years that I have lived here, I can only recall a couple of minor verbal racism outbursts directed at me. And to be honest, we were too busy getting on with life to be aware of any anti-immigrant sentiment back then."
Kiwis are mostly kind and decent people, and it was only a matter of time before the ugliness that has reared its head in other parts of the world showed up here in very minor fits and bursts. As far as I can tell, it’s more to do with general frustration and hardship as living has become more expensive, and jobs harder to find (as in the rest of the world).
By and large, immigrants like us work harder and strive to be successful as we have more to lose. We feel like Kiwis and New Zealand is home, though we are still very proud of our Indian heritage.
New Zealand still feels like a country that appreciates the contribution immigrants make, my mum says.
My dad, meanwhile, simply gives New Zealand 10 out of 10, then and now.
(Megha Kapoor is a former Editor of Vogue, India. While she grew up in New Zealand, she currently works as a writer in Sydney, Australia. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)