National MP runs down protester with a motor vehicle

:John Hayes the National MP for Wairapara thinks it ok to use a motor vehicle to run a local man off the road. (Hat tip newzblog)

"Local activist James Sleep was today exercising his democratic right to protest when he was approached by an entourage of 4WDs carrying Wairapara MP John Hayes and John Key. Sleep attempted to get out of the way however he soon found himself being propelled backwards by the force of Hayes’ car. The car continued to accelerate for 20 metres until bystanders forced him to stop. Sleep described the incident as frightening and thought he was going to be run over. When the car stopped Sleep was aggressively tackled onto the ground by a male escorting Hayes."

Sleep has laid complaints of assault and careless driving with the police. Good on him. James has written about the incident here.

Perhaps it is relevant to quote the contribution of John Hayes to the debate over the section 59 bill.

"...Labour camp and in the Greens, is undermining the social fabric of our country. They are passing this bill on the back of having undermined every teacher and every policeman in this country. Two weeks ago, at the Golden Shears in Masterton, a couple of young kids were sitting on the bonnet of a car, causing trouble and abusing old people. Someone said to them: “Listen, boys. Naff off!” It was not me doing the telling; I witnessed this. “You can’t tell us that, mister. You can’t do that,” the boys said. The guy said he was going to get the police. “They can’t do anything either,” he was told. That is why we have so many children out of control in Masterton and elsewhere in the small towns of the Wairarapa. It is because this Labour Government has pulled the rug of authority from every institution in this country, whether schoolteachers, police officers, or, now, parents."

Clearly Hayes believes he should use the bonnet of his car to maintain the 'rug of authority'. Isn't it an irony how many times those that bemoan the breakdown the the rule of law often find themselves on the wrong side of it?

Worse of all, National leader John Key appeared to endorse the actions of his blunderbus MP by attempting to make jokes about the incident. "Mr Key said he would like to borrow the protester to take home, as he made a lot of noise and could be used in the early morning and on dusk to scare ducks from landing on his pool.". If Key endorses running down protesters with motor vehicles, perhaps he could ask Hayes and his 4x4 to come and shoo the ducks away for him?