Among criticisms of the legislation were deciphering what was a gang insignia, colour, or symbol.
But Mitchell wasn’t deterred. “I don’t think it’s going to be difficult,” he said.
“Fill your boots, if you want to wear a black t-shirt or a red t-shirt you go for it… but if they put swastikas, and gang insignia and Mongrel Mob and Black Power and Head Hunters or whatever other gang you want, then it’s gone.”
Mitchell said he would see through the select committee process, but said the Government was committed to the ban.
“We’re going to be banning gang patches in our country.”
Create distrust and entrench inequity
Julia Spelman, from the Māori Law Society, said bill would entrench the distrust between gangs and police, making it harder for people to leave a gang.
“We know from the long history in this country, that that discretion is never exercised by police without bias, that Māori are always worse off when police are exercising discretion, that will be the case here as well.”
Defence Lawyers Association co-founder Elizabeth Hall said it would make things worse.
“This legislation will not reduced crime, it will entrench those who are caught up in systemic deprivation which underpin the modern phenomena of crimes.
“It will damage New Zealand families and will create a significant level of distrust between the state, the New Zealand police, and the community.”
The Government should have the capacity to admit it was wrong with this approach, Hall said.
RNZ