So gaslighting the locals turned out to be a bad idea

The Herald reports:

Some residents are prepared to arm themselves to defend their property during a post-Cyclone Gabrielle crime spree, a public meeting heard on Tuesday night.

Police Minister Stuart Nash, who is also the Napier MP, Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise, Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst and Police Superintendent Jeanette Park were among 200 people at the public meeting held at Crab Farm Winery, in Bay View, Napier.

Organisers of the meeting made it clear they did not want the meeting politicised. They said the intent of the meeting was to share truthful stories and feelings relating to safety issues within the community.

“Our community needs to get factual because there’s been lots of rumours. I’m sick of people saying that it’s not really that bad when we know it is,” said organiser and Bay View resident Louise Parsons. “You’ve got people wanting to bear arms, it’s not about bearing arms – it’s just about wanting to be safe.”

Some residents also spoke about organising rostered shifts to patrol their communities. Others spoke of how they feared for their family’s safety and had considered moving.

“I feel less safe in Napier than I did in London,” said a recent expat who had moved to Hawke’s Bay with his family. …

Locals commended the first responders on the ground, saying that the local police force were “heroes”, but criticised the role of the Government response as they felt like it was “working over them and not with them”.

Locals were experiencing crime and looting, and the Government and Police were saying it was disinformation. No wonder they are hacked off.