The rainbow crossing on Auckland's Karangahape Road was covered in white paint overnight. Rain washed much of the paint away, but remnants could still be seen on the crossing. Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
Police are treating the painting over of a rainbow crossing in Auckland this morning as a hate crime.
The crossing on Karangahape Road was vandalised by three people in the early hours of Thursday morning.
A spokesperson from Auckland Council confirmed the crossing had been painted over, although rain overnight had washed much of the white paint away, but remnants could still be seen on the crossing.
In a statement, Auckland City Central Area Commander Inspector Grant Tetzlaff said police made a number of enquiries into the incident on Thursday afternoon and founds some items of interest.
Officers had raided a property in Flat Bush, which was linked to the owners of a vehicle involved, he said.
However, that vehicle had not yet been located.
Police wanted those responsible for the incident to come forward, he said.
"We are aware of the hurt and confusion from the community at what has occurred and we want to reassure the public we are committed to holding those involved to account," Tetzlaff said.
"Police have no tolerance for reports of this nature, which appear to directly target a particular sector of our diverse community, and we are treating this as a hate crime."
Meanwhile, Auckland Transport said they could have crews out to remove the white paint spattered over the Karangahape Road rainbow crossing as soon as tonight.
Group manager of infrastructure projects Mark Banfield said crews would be removing the water-based paint tonight.
But, he said they would only re-paint the rainbow if they had to.
He said they would treat any re-painting of the crossing with urgency, but it would take longer to organise.
The latest incident comes after members of Destiny Church painted over a rainbow crossing in Gisborne, action which was linked on social media to a drag queen story time event at the city's library.
Hastings District Council then cancelled its upcoming Rainbow Storytime event citing safety concerns after councillors and staff received "a large number of threatening and intimidating messages.
Contacted by RNZ, a Destiny Church spokesperson denied that the police search warrant was carried out at any of its properties. They also declined having any involvement with the rainbow crossing vandalism.
Political reaction
Meanwhile, Police Minister Mark Mitchell has expressed his frustration at the covering of the Karangahape Road rainbow crossing in white paint.
Mitchell said he did not want police resources tied up responding to what he said was "nonsense."
"I am frustrated yes ... the last thing I want to see is police officers having to deal with that sort of nonsense so whoever is doing it should stop it."
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon earlier described the incident as unacceptable.
"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."
ACT leader David Seymour has criticised the vandalism of the Karangahape Road rainbow crossing and said such behaviour was not a valid expression of opinion.
Seymour said, personally, he thought the rainbow crossings looked pretty cool.
"I think they look quite cool, but that's just me ... if you've got a point to make you should try and do it in a way that makes your point at minimal cost to others, well as an Auckland ratepayer I've got to say I'm pretty pissed off about it."
