21 May 2019

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman gets security escort

4:00 pm on 21 May 2019

Greens MP Golriz Ghahraman will have a security escort with her whenever she leaves Parliament after her security risk was escalated by police.

Green MP Golriz Ghahraman on the Foreign Affairs, Defence, and Trade select committee.

Greens MP Golriz Ghahraman Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox

Ms Ghahraman said it came after a Newshub story about white supremacy revealed she was being talked about in a dangerous manner.

David Seymour addresses media following the release of the justice committee's report on the End of Life Choice Bill

David Seymour Photo: RNZ / Ana Tovey

Her safety was put at further risk after comments made by the ACT leader David Seymour that she was a "real menace to freedom in this country'', she said.

"As you can imagine, it's distressing to have secret white supremacist groups talking about you and to have that escalated to the level of the mainstream and I think it kind of gives us all a feeling of how those targeted communities feel."

However, Mr Seymour disputed her safety was put at risk by his comments.

"She's someone who gives back as good, if not a lot more, than she gets in political debate."

But he said nobody in this country deserved to be threatened with violence and no MP should have to shrink from political debate because some people were thugs and bullies.

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