Man Who Painted Over Rainbow Crossing Has Links to Controversial NZ Church Leader
Published on April 15, 2024
An Auckland man with family links to a controversial pastor has pleaded guilty to vandalising an LGBT-themed pedestrian crossing in an iconic part of the CBD. The crossing on Karanghape, colloquially known as K’ Road, was painted over in whitewash on March 28, causing an uproar in the community. “I mean, we want to be embracing our rainbow community. We want everyone in New Zealand to be able to be who they want to be in this country—and I’ve got no time for that at all,” Prime Minister Chris Luxon said. Ford O’Connor, 31, a father of four, appeared in the Auckland District Court this morning on charges of intentionally damaging the crossing and agreed to pay $16,093 (US$9,577) for removing paint and repairing the crossing....