June 23, 2015 6:40am by David Farrar

So its okay to spit on people who you disagree with?

The Herald reports:

A man accused of assaulting Paul Henry allegedly told police the television presenter was “a racist and a bigot who should expect consequences for his views”.

Diego Leonardo Chavez, 34, of Auckland, appeared in Auckland District Court this morning facing two counts of assault against Henry during an anti-Government protest in the central city last month. …

Henry was arriving at the Federal St complex for an unrelated matter, when he was spotted by the crowd, the police summary says.

He was “jostled, jeered and sworn at”, and SkyCity security were forced to intervene in an attempt to protect Henry, the summary claims. But the protesters prevented him from entering the building, crowding and jostling him.

Police stepped in, forming a physical barrier between Henry and the crowd, but as they tried to lead him away, Chavez pushed through the barrier and rushed at Henry, the summary alleges, claiming Chavez was “deliberately jumping towards him [Henry] and colliding with the victim, while spitting on his neck”.

So Paul Henry is just heading in there for a meal, and Mr Chavez thinks he can spit on him, because he doesn’t like him. He thinks the consequences of having views that Chavez disagrees with, is to be jostled and spat on.

Mr Chavez would have been at home in the 1930s.