The bill to make same-sex marriage legal in Aotearoa New Zealand has prompted about 300 people belonging to Tongan churches in Auckland to join a protest march.
Labour MP Louisa Wall’s same-sex marriage bill, aimed at legalising same-sex marriage, passed its first reading in Parliament during August. It is now being considered by a parliamentary select committee.
Starting with a prayer, the march took place last Saturday at the Tongan Methodist Church in Mangere. It was organised by leaders from more than 30 Tongan churches and was lead by brass bands, according to a Radio New Zealand report.
Those involved in the march wore red. The banners they carried said things such as “Marriage is a union between a man and a woman”.
Filipo Motulalo, who was one of the organisers, said that the churches are not anti-gay but they were marching on behalf of families. For them, family means a man, a woman and children.
Mr Motulalo said that the protest was “about safeguarding marriage. This is about safeguarding family, the foundations of family,” against the same-sex marriage bill.
Sources