Sunday Star-Times: Protest left my family in fear: lawyer’s wife

A lawyer’s wife who faced assault charges after spraying a group of fathers’ rights protesters with a hose says the protest left her in shock, fear and disbelief.
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In Auckland District Court last week, [the wife] pleaded guilty to common assault and was discharged without conviction.

In a speech addressing the and released to the Sunday Star-Times she says:

“You treated me and my children as if we were ‘nothing’, ‘dirt’. You treated my husband as if he was to blame for all of your problems and the situation that you put yourselves into. You all left me hugging my sons, and they me, in shock, fear, tears and disbelief. You all have no idea how much pain and ruin the above mentioned had impacted on our lives.”

She goes on to say: “Nevertheless I forgive you all.”

Lawyer’s wife hosing protestors (photographer unknown)

Personally, I think this is a reasonable outcome. Mrs France and her children are not indirectly responsible for Ross France’s behaviour after all, and the unfortunate use of a Nazi banner on the street outside their home was fairly provocative!

It is a shame that there needs to be some kind of violence or disturbance involved before the media will pay attention to fathers’ issues.