Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has issued an apology after allegedly calling an Indian-origin Radio New Zealand (RNZ) staff member a 'Muslim terrorist' during a visit to the broadcaster's Auckland offices. The incident occurred on Monday as Brown arrived at RNZ for an appearance on its Afternoons programme.
Details of the Incident
According to RNZ, a staff member greeted the mayor and apologized for a delay, mentioning that security in the building was tight. The mayor reportedly responded with a comment along the lines of 'security can't be very tight if we're being escorted by a Muslim terrorist.' The staff member also said Brown commented on his appearance, saying 'gosh, look at your beard.'
The employee, who has not been named, said he was left shocked and hurt. He stated, 'I agree with the Mayor that his comments were inappropriate and disrespectful. The danger of racial and religious stereotyping, especially by those in positions of leadership, cannot be overstated.'
Official Reactions
RNZ chief people officer Sarah Neilson called the comments unacceptable, saying, 'Our immediate concern is for our colleague who was understandably hurt. At our workplace, we want people to be treated with respect, including by our guests.'
Brown later issued an apology by email and described his remark as a 'fumbled attempt at humour,' accepting full responsibility. 'I understand that my words were disrespectful, and I regret the harm they caused,' he said.
Controversy Deepens
However, the controversy worsened after Brown referred to respect for the Sikh community, despite the staff member not being Sikh. Brown later said he had been wrongly briefed by staff. In a further statement, the mayor said he often used humour in public interactions but acknowledged he 'got this one wrong,' adding that he remained committed to representing all Aucklanders.
Community Outrage
The comments have sparked strong reactions from New Zealand's Indian community. Pancha Narayan described the remark as racist, saying it exposed gaps in how hate speech is addressed. 'You can't say it and then retract it as a joke,' he said. Daljit Singh called the comment 'unbelievable,' while Jaspreet Kandhari said it was 'very unfortunate,' noting Brown's popularity in the community. Himanshu Parmar warned that dismissing such language as humour risked normalising it: 'The tone matters.'
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