All Blacks legend Sonny Bill Williams has broken his silence on recent protests against a hugely controversial proposed bill that is seeking to radically reinterpret New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi.
The agreement was signed on February 6, 1840, by the British Crown and around 540 Maori chiefs. The document is considered crucial in upholding Maori rights.
The new piece of legislation, called the Treaty Principles bill, has been introduced to the New Zealand parliament by a junior member of the libertarian ACT Party – the minor group in the country’s coalition government.
ACT claim that the Waitangi Treaty has caused the country to give its Indigenous peoples greater legal and political rights, adding their proposed bill is designed to end what they call ‘division by race’.
Despite that, the proposed legislation has been causing mass outrage in New Zealand among some Indigenous communities, with over 40,000 people taking to the streets of Wellington in protest over the new bill.
Activists joined what is known as a hikoi – a peaceful protest – that has spread throughout the country.
Former All Blacks star, Sonny Bill Williams, has broken his silence over recent protests in New Zealand
A proposed piece of legislation has caused outrage among some Maori communities in the country Â
Hauraki Waikato MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke led a Haka while New Zealand’s parliament was in session last weekÂ
New Zealand rugby sensation, Williams, has now spoken out on the situation on his Instagram story.
The footy star has been a huge advocate for Polynesian, Maori and Muslim communities in the past, previously telling The New Zealand Herald that he aspires to become a ‘voice for the voiceless’.
On Tuesday, the former boxing star, 39, re-shared a post from @Khaledbeydoun on his Instagram story, of two men performing what is known as a hongi, a traditional Maori greeting where two people press their noses together.
The post read: ‘Stand for Maori rights in New Zealand like Maoris stood up for Muslims.’
Williams added his own comments on the post, writing: ‘Their struggle, our struggle,’ adding three heart emojis.
The former rugby league star converted to Islam after leaving the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in 2008. He moved to France to play union for Toulon and it was during this period where he found his new faith.Â
In the post, Instagram user @Khaledbeydoun references how Maori communities ‘stood side-by-side with Muslims’ following the Christchurch shootings in 2019, where 51 people were killed at two mosques in the city.
Williams had previously paid an emotional tribute to the victims of the Christchurch attack.Â
Parliament was halted after members of the gallery and those in session performed the Haka
Williams re-shared a post from @Khaeledbeydoun on his Instagram story, writing: ‘Stand for Maori rights in New Zealand like Maoris stood up for Muslims’Â
Williams has been a huge advocate for Maori, Polynesian and Islamic communitiesÂ
The rugby and boxing star made 58 appearances for New Zealand between 2010 and 2019
Williams, a devout muslim, had previously paid an emotional tribute to the victims of the Christchurch attack and met with Islamic
The demonstrations also came after wild scenes erupted in New Zealand’s parliament on Thursday.
Hauraki Waikato MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke of the Te Pati Maori Party appeared to tear up a sheet of paper before performing the Haka.
Other MPs joined in while gallery onlookers also participated, as Labour and Green MPs stood in protest.
Te Pati Maori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi had also performed the Haka directly in front of ACT Party seats and were seen looking at leader David Seymour, a proponent of the bill.
